May There Always Be Words Between Us

May There Always Be Words Between Us explores how a legendary Washington, DC open mic, It's Your Mug, nourished a groundswell of poets and artist collectives. The film follows Toni Asante Lightfoot, a charismatic DC native who founded and hosted the series at a time when the city's creative life thrived in small, Black-owned spaces—long before social media or slam poetry went mainstream. Every Tuesday, artists gathered to hone their craft and build a community rooted in a shared reverence for the word. From this space emerged voices and collectives that would shape contemporary literature and performance, including Ta-Nehisi Coates, Toni Blackman, the Poem-Cees, and Modern Urban Griots. Through archival footage and intimate oral histories, the film traces how one weekly gathering became a crucible for artistic expression and a testament to the enduring power of community in shaping culture.

Schedule

06:00 PM - 06:45 PM Bring photographs to scan with the memory lab. Bring poetry ephemera to create your own artist file to be added to the People's Archive

06:45 PM - 07:15 PM Poetry Reading featuring Holly Bass, Toni Asante Lightfoot, Brandon D. Johnson and Patrick Washington — all poets featured in the film.

07:15 PM - 08:15 PM World Premiere Screening: "May There Always Be Words Between Us"

08:15 PM - 08:30 PM Talk-back with filmmakers and poets

For more information, call (202) 727-1213 or email [email protected]. To request a reasonable accommodation for this program, please contact [email protected] or call (202) 727-2142.

About the People's Archive

The People's Archive at DC Public Library is home to the dynamic collections that preserve and share the stories, histories, and voices of Washington, D.C.'s diverse communities, as well as the Black experience in the United States. It features materials—such as photographs, oral histories, documents, and more—that highlight the vibrant local, national and international history of DMV residents, grassroots movements, and cultural milestones, making it a valuable resource for researchers, historians, and anyone interested in learning more about the city's past and present.