DON'T MISS OUR NEXT SHOW!
Wed, June 10, 2026 • 7PM

Our Featured writers

terese mason pierre

TERESE MASON PIERRE (she/her) is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in The Walrus, ROOM, Brick, Quill & Quire, and Year's Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction, among others. Her work has been nominated for the bpNichol Chapbook Award, the Aurora Award, and the Ignyte Award. She is one of ten winners of the Writers’ Trust Journey Prize, and was named a Writers’ Trust Rising Star. Myth is her debut poetry collection and she is editor of As The Earth Dreams, an anthology of Black Canadian speculative short fiction. Terese lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

antonio michael downing

ANTONIO MICHAEL DOWNING is an award-winning author, musician, and speaker whose work explores identity, belonging, and transformation through art and storytelling. Named one of Canada’s best emerging authors by the RBC Taylor Prize, his acclaimed memoir Saga Boy was nominated for the Toronto Book Award and the Speaker’s Book Award. His novel Black Cherokee was released by Simon & Schuster in 2025. He is also the host of The Next Chapter on CBC Radio One. Performing musically as John Orpheus, he blends Afro-Caribbean rhythms, soul, and narrative expression. Born in Trinidad and based in Canada, Antonio uses creativity as a bridge between culture, resilience, and personal growth.

A person singing or speaking into a microphone in a dark studio, wearing a hat and large jewelry, with dramatic lighting highlighting their face and hand.

Sign Up for Our Open Mic!

The open mic to kick off our shows has become one of BlackLit Durham's most popular segments. If you want to touch the mic (one piece per person, 5 min. maximum, unless the pieces are less than two minutes each, then two pieces is acceptable), our sign-up sheet opens at 6:30 pm, with the open mic beginning at 7 pm SHARP. First come, first served, limited slots available. Let's hear you SPIT YOUR FIRE, Ajax!

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