JCPOFEST Presents: Moonwake at Àbákẹ́ 🌙✨

Moonwake Open Mic: The Quiet Power of the Pen

RSVP is Required - Space is Limited

$10 Suggested Donation at The Door

Featured Author: Jeff Dess

*Special Guest Poets: La Malcriada , Eric Chen & more!

*Surprises and Big Announcements !

*Giveaways

Join us among books and the aroma of coffee, in a space where words rise, yet carry the weight of the world. This open mic invites poets, writers, and dreamers to reflect on what it truly means to be awake — in a time that calls us forward, gently or not so gently - but yes insistently. Here, the quiet power of the pen meets the courage to speak, to imagine, to bear witness. Whether you write, read, or simply listen, this is a gathering to honor the small revolutions of thought, the tender stirrings of the heart, and the luminous possibilities that unfold when we awaken together.

Our Featured Author:

Jeff Dess:  (he / him)  is a dynamic public speaker, author, poet, emcee, and professor of Haitian descent. A native New Yorker, he is the Co-Founder of the Leadership Institute, Trill or Not Trill.

A seasoned performer, Jeff has brought his poetry and hip hop to audiences across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. He is the author of six books of poetry and the founder of the private poetry series The House of Haiku, featured in Ebony Magazine. A TEDx speaker, Jeff has delivered lectures, workshops, and talks at more than 60 colleges and universities, including UCLA, Columbia University, and Princeton University.

Beyond the stage, Jeff contributed to the short film The Chair, showcased at the Latino Hip Hop Festival. He holds a master’s degree in English Literature and currently serves on the board of the Jersey City Arts Council.

Special Guests:

La Malcriada : (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist currently based in Jersey City. She was raised in Ambos Nogales, a borderland community situated in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. She draws inspiration for her art by revisiting personal memories, which transcend language, time and location, across multiple international borders. Currently she is visiting memories from "el duelo," a place of mourning, through various mediums, including ceramic sculptures, painting, printmaking and poetry. She hopes her art serves as a conduit for healing oneself and her audience.

Eric Cheng: (he / him) is a writer who strives to spread more than words—he seeks to spread understanding. Through his work, he champions compassion and empathy, believing that storytelling can reach deep into the human soul. Dedicated to building community, Eric has made it his mission to unite writers across New Jersey, fostering a space where voices can connect, grow, and inspire one another.

*Space is Limited - RSVP is required