Asyia Gover Poetry & Prose

12:00PM

Get Lit! Festival 2026: Foray for the Arts: Festival Features and Open Mic

Foray for The Arts is a Spokane-based traveling multidisciplinary event founded by Greg Bem and Sarah Rooney. The event is intended to provide a place for local artists of all kinds to perform with each other in order to collaborate, network, and gain experience. The first two hours will celebrate local writers solicited by Foray, and the final hour will be open mic. Writers interested in reading as part of the open-mic will need to arrive at the top of the event to sign up. Foray is known for traveling to local businesses and even local parks to present their events, in order to celebrate the unique variety of venues that Spokane has to offer while providing opportunities to connect with different parts of the community. This unique rooftop Foray hopes to give writers the exciting opportunity to share their work from a sky-high venue overlooking downtown Spokane.

Sign ups for the open mic portion will be available at the beginning of the event. Please note that the sign up list is limited, arrive early to reserve a spot directly with the hosts, Sarah and Greg. 

Featured artists include: Ciara Totton, Robert Jenson, Joe Williams, Alyus Vasquez, Christina Momono, and Asyia Gover.

6:00PM

Foray for the Arts at New Love Coffee

The March Foray for The Arts will be at the New Love Coffee Bean & Pie on Summit Pkwy on Friday, March 20th from 6-8pm. New Love is open late for this performance and will serve coffee during this fabulous free event. Performances by: Karen Mobley (@karen_mobley), Nolan Christensen (@champipen), Madeleine “MJ” James (@mjcomedy23), Asyia Gover (@mia93000000), L. E. O’Byrne (@airgo_naut), Christina Momono (@mmjoy77), Jenni Watson (@standupjenniwatson), Cedar Compher (@cedarcompher), Cara Lorello (@lorellocara). So delight in a marvelous performance of spoken word, music, and comedy while you consume coffee and pies. Want another course to your dinner—the Tamale Box is also open with libations and tasty food that can be brought over into the New Love space.

4:00PM

Down River, Deep Root Release Party at Patera Temperance Lounge

Join us for readings and book sales of the new anthology! 4-7pm on 2/21 at Patera Temperance Lounge on Sprague in East Central, Spokane. We will have over 30 readers from the anthology sharing their work.

6:00PM

Broken Mic 15th Anniversary at Neato Burrito

Broken Mic, Spokane’s longest-running weekly poetry open mic has been alive, thriving and giving local poets a platform since it began in 2011. Claudia Castro Luna, former Poet Laureate of Washington State, said the best poetry reading she ever went to was Broken Mic, four years ago! Host Asyia Gover guided our famously raucous Broken Mic community of poets and writers through a monumental celebration, and produced a commemorative anthology produced after the festivities subsided. And if you’re feeling brave, sign up at 6 pm the night of to read three minutes worth of poetry yourself!

5:00PM

Terrain 16 | Main Event

Always on the first Friday in October, Terrain is an annual, one-night-only, juried multimedia art and music event celebrating artists in the Spokane area.

Featuring new works by HUNDREDS of artists, and attracting thousands of attendees, it’s a celebration of new energy and fresh ideas from all over the artistic spectrum. From painting to poetry to interactive art and film, we try to showcase a little of everything that’s making the Inland Empire a more vibrant, cultural and beautiful place to live.

4:00PM

Sacrificial Poet at Spokane Poetry Slam

Poetry Slam is a form of poetry competition invented in Chicago in the 1980s. Poets have three minutes to perform their original material with no props and no costumes. Their poems are then scored by members of the audience.

This poetry slam will have two rounds, so come prepared with two poems if you want to compete!

Attendance is free, but it’s five dollars to compete. This helps fund prizes!

The top two poets from this competition will qualify for spots in a poetry slam at the Salish Sea Literature Festival in November.

6:30PM

Sacrificial Poet at Kendall Yards Night Market Youth Open Mic

Curated by Spokane’s Poet Laureate, Mery Smith!

Come down to Night Market and make your voice heard. We need to hear from you irl.

Mery is continuing to invite youth poets from the community to come and read their work at the KYNM! Greenstone and Spokane Arts have sponsored the event to include a $15 stipend to spend at the night market.

This initiative, created by Spokane Poet Laureate Mery Noel Smith, works to include feeding youth in the summer and supporting the vendors at the market!

Mery also invites a standing poet from the community to come be the opener for the evening’s event – this piece creates opportunities for the adult poet and youth poets to connect, there they can offer and encourage support and guidance, bridging age, cultural and socio-economic gaps in the poetry community.

5:30PM

Foray Presents: The Word at Jupiter’s Eye Book Cafe

This Friday we’re celebrating local writers of all kinds with “The Word” at Jupiter’s Eye Book Cafe from 5:30-7:30pm. Afterwards we’re coming together to enjoy the summer solstice at the post street bridge with a short reading outside. Come hear the wonderful works of Joe Haeger, Robert John Jenson, Nolan Christensen, Inga Laurent, Chris Bieker, and more! This is a free all ages event! Stop by say “hi”, listen to some amazing works, grab some books, devour some snacks, and support local!

6:00PM

No Neutral: Poetry Night with Shin Yu Pai

Asians for Collective Liberation Spokane’s Chai Culture Club presents Shelley Memorial Award winner and former Seattle Civic Poet, Shin Yu Pai, as she graces us with a retrospective reading of her poetry across the years, including her most recent work, No Neutral. 

Joining Shin Yu is Spokane local poet Asyia Gover who will be reading a couple of her own writings including pieces from her first chapbook, East Side Solitude. 

Free and open to all!  RSVP and get a chance to win a book in the raffle. Donations are encouraged for those who have the financial capacity to contribute so we can continue making our programs accessible.

This event is brought to you by ACL Spokane’s Chai Culture Club, Auntie’s Bookstore, Better Health Together, KH Consulting, YWCA Spokane, KSPS PBS, and KYRS.

May 23rd, 2025
6-7PM
Auntie’s Bookstore
402 W Main Ave
Spokane, WA 99201
All ages
Free

11:15 AM

Nonviolent Creativity with AJ the Wordsmith and Asyia Gover

Learn a new way to write poetry through conflict in this introspective workshop. This event is part of the Inland Northwest Poetry Salon.

Nonviolent Creativity is a workshop that uses the basic framework of nonviolent communication as well as other conflict-resolution tools to prompt and inspire poetry. This workshop is inspired by the academic method of Nonviolent Communication (by Marshall Rosenberg) and the presenter’s experience as a certified mediator. 

AJ the Wordsmith is a local artist, success mentor, activist, actor, model, unique jewelry maker/repairer, and college graduate from Eastern Washington University. AJ the Wordsmith spreads a message of non-violent communication to the people through the art of free speech and poetry. You can hear him read his poetry aloud on Spokane Public Radio here.

11:30 AM

National Poetry Month Reading Series

April is National Poetry Month!

April 8th: Poets Janelle Cordero & Emerald “Fitz” Fitzpatrick

April 15th: Poets Asyia Gover & Sarah Rooney

Let the Words Move You!

Hosted by Spokane Community College Library

9:00AM

Get Lit! Festival 2025 Book Fair

Thank you for joining us in celebrating 27 years of the Get Lit! Festival. Each year brings a diverse lineup of highly sought-after authors to our region, while also highlighting our local literary talent. This year we had two full days of readings, craft classes, open mics, panel discussions, literary happy hours, and more!

Join us for our annual Book Fair at the Montvale Event Center, which includes access to 12+ festival events featuring dozens of authors including Maggie Smith, Danez Smith, Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum, Tara Campbell, Rena Priest, and many others! Events include readings, panel discussions, reading and writing sessions, an open mic, and so much more! The Book Fair will host 20+ local and regional booksellers, small presses, non-profits, and other bookish organizations.

Foray for the Arts hosted a variety of featured performers from past Foray events at their table! Asyia and other local authors and performers greeted guests, shared each other’s work, and partook in the love of all things literature!

7:00PM

3 Minute Mic featuring Asyia Gover

Auntie’s Bookstore First Friday Poetry Open Mic

It’s the 12th Anniversary for 3 Minute Mic!

Spokane’s favorite First Friday open poetry mic returns, hosted by Chris Cook (guest-host, Chris Coppen)! This month we will have a feature poet, Asyia Gover! All are welcome to read or listen. This is a free speech, uncensored event.

9:00AM

Housing Stability Mediation Program Design & Implementation

27th Annual Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference, March 27th – 28th, 2025

Mia Gover of Whatcom DRC will summarize Housing Stability program development and ongoing challenges. Learn about design strategies effective in Whatcom, and discuss insights to tailor housing mediation to fit your community. Focus areas include internal processes, outreach, and client interests.

4:00PM

From the Vault: An Archival Poetry Project

Local Poets Respond to the Library’s Special Collections

Local poets will share their original poems based on items from the Spokane Public Library’s special collections and archives, which are kept in a climate-controlled room called “the vault.”

An award-winning group of Inland Northwest poets will share their responses to various archival treasures found within the Spokane Public Library vault. Following the event, poems and archival items will be placed on display on the 3rd Floor of the Central Library for others to read and admire. This event is meant to inspire an unexpected and lyrical conversation between the past and the present.

3:00PM

Foray For the Arts Performance Marathon

Join us at The Grain Shed Taproom for a performance marathon featuring:

Performances from:

Karen Mobley, Kate Peterson, THOSE WHO DWELL IN DIM CARCOSA, Alexander Manzoni, AP Marcus the Warrior, Ash (Flow Dancer), Carey Jackson, Jenni Watson, Jeremy TeGrotenhuis, Kristin Bonser, Lorna Rose, Shraya Singh, Wilma, Julia Staben, TS Loveless, Jake Tyler Updegrove, Joseph Williams, Sarah Jardine, Ciara Totton, Seth Marlin, Taylor Waring, and more!

6:00PM

Poetry Readings & EAST SIDE SOLITUDE Release Party 2!! at PNWaffle Boutique, Bellingham

Join us on October 24th to celebrate the release of my first chapbook, East Side Solitude! Hear select poems from the book, and see the illustrations in full color and up close! Be one of the first to purchase a signed copy directly from the author, and claim your exclusive illustrated book merch! But first, we must partake in my favorite occasion… Poetry Open Mic!! BYOP or try connecting with a poem new to you.

PNWaffle Boutique is an artists’ collective shop for local, handmade gifts and culinary provisions from the beautiful Pacific NW. Find PNWaffle Boutique in the historic Leopold building at 1230 Cornwall Ave.

October 24th, 2024
6-8PM
PNWaffle Boutique
1230 Cornwall Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
All ages
Free

7:00PM

Speak Easy at Bijou South, Spokane

Come enjoy or participate in an open mic night at the South Hill Bijou every Monday night from 7:00-9:30pm. Sign up to perform spoken word, read an excerpt of short fiction, or something else creative. I’ll be there reading and maybe singing some karaoke if I get in the mood! You should be there too!

6:30PM

EAST SIDE SOLITUDE Release Party!! at Broken Mic, Neato Burrito, Spokane

Broken Mic, Spokane’s longest-running weekly poetry open mic has been alive, thriving and giving local poets a platform since it began in 2011.

Join us on October 2nd to celebrate the release of my first chapbook, East Side Solitude! Hear select poems from the book, and see the illustrations in full color and up close! Be one of the first to purchase a signed copy directly from the author, and claim your exclusive illustrated book merch! And if you’re feeling brave, sign up at 6 pm the night of to read three minutes worth of poetry yourself!

11:00AM

Spokane Open Poetry Program

Spokane Open Poetry Program, the place for great readers to gather and share thoughts, feelings, emotions. On Saturday, September 21st at 11AM I joined host Stephen Pitters to read some poems and celebrate the release of East Side Solitude! This show is hosted by KYRS Thin Air Community Radio on 88.1/92.3FM Spokane/Medical Lake. Listen to this extended reading using the player below!

8:00PM

The Light by Foray for the Arts at Saltese Uplands, Spokane

Foray for The Arts Presents: The Light: A Sunset Reading for Conservation and Illumination is a reading at Saltese Uplands near Spokane Valley. The event will be on 6/26/24 from 8pm-10pm.

This sunset reading will take place on one of the trails at the Saltese Uplands Conservation Area and include themed readings and performances about conservation and the illuminated mind. Featured performers include Asyia Gover, Liina Koivula, Paul Lindholdt, AP Marcus, Charles Potts, Liz Rognes, and Jason Stariwat. The group will depart the parking lot at Saltese Uplands at 7:45pm and make their way roughly 1/4 mile up-trail to an area for viewing the sunset. The trail is not ADA accessible and may present mobility challenges. Chairs and blankets are recommended. Cider provided by Trailbreaker Cider.

2:00PM

Inland Northwest Poetry Salon at Liberty Park Library, Spokane

We’re happy to announce the first annual Inland Northwest Poetry Salon, a day-long event at Spokane Public Library that celebrates the craft of poetry and features generative workshops and inspiring panels from an exciting array of writers within our region. The Salon aims to celebrate the craft of poetry for participants in all phases of their writing lives. 

The Inland Northwest Poetry Salon will take place at the Liberty Park Library on Saturday, June 1 from 10 AM until 4 PM and will feature a whopping 11 events, all curated by writers within our region. 

Asyia’s workshop is titled “Journal Poems: Everyday Inspiration” and begins at 2:10PM.
Don’t let writer’s block stop you! Journaling is a great way to stay active as a writer when the inspiration isn’t flowing. Even better, when you go back to your journal entries, you may find some golden nuggets worth refining into a poem! Asyia Gover’s upcoming book, East Side Solitude, was developed largely from journal entries and a practice of recording thoughts and observations on significant dates. Learn Asyia’s method for changing a diary into a manuscript by attending this workshop! Bring a journal entry of your choice, or write one on the day of. All bodies, brains, identities, experience levels welcome.

8:00PM

Snaps, Claps and Daps at Club Dezi’s, Oakland

AFRO ENT (@acoupleofkidsfromoakland – @_upsidedownghost_) + @o2thegbg in partnership with DOPE ERA (@dopeeraco – @fabbydavisjr1) is bringing you SNAPS, CLAPS & DAPS Open Mic EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT at Club Dezi’s – 1802 Telegraph Ave, Oakland CA (Across the street from the Fox Theater) from 8PM – 11PM hosted by @o2thegbg and @_upsidedownghost_
FREE ENTRY
This is a weekly event open to all forms of poetry to come share your voice, share your talent and express yourself in a safe space. Doors open at 8pm. The list opens at 8 until full. Spoken word poetry is BACK in Oakland so pull up, hop on the mic or just come and enjoy a dope show and remember, it’s the ERA WAY … NOT THE OTHER WAY!

11:00AM

Spokane Open Poetry Program

Spokane Open Poetry Program, the place for great readers to gather and share thoughts, feelings, emotions. On Saturday, April 20th at 11AM I joined host Stephen Pitters to read a few poems from East Side Solitude! This show is hosted by KYRS Thin Air Community Radio on 88.1/92.3FM Spokane/Medical Lake. Listen to this extended reading using the player below!