By Jaeel Beato
November 13, 2025
WE BLACK FOLK is a new organization that’s just over a year old. In partnership with BAMSFest, HipStory, and JustBookish, they presented Village Voices Open Mic, a gathering rooted in the spirit of folk tradition and the timeless power of storytelling.
Porsha Olayiwola, the co-founder of JustBookish and a professor of poetry at Emerson, reciting her written poem. 
Princess Ojukwu delivering her poem on stage. Ojukwu is a local Boston resident and a teacher at Josiah Quincy Elementary School. 
Mayté, a resident in the outskirts of Boston, is an independent artist. Mayté writes and performs indie folk and psychedelic soul music. 
D Walters grabbing their mic as they prepare to recite their original poem. She is a local Boston resident with a career as an arts liaison. 
Christine Bilé singing her original songs while playing her guitar. Bilé is a Pittsfield, MA-based independent singer-songwriter known for her acoustic pop-folk sound and soulful R&B roots. 
Cliff Notez, a hip-hop musician, and the co-owner/founder of HipStory, a digital media production company, reciting his poem.
Held in Fields Corner, the event honored the lineage of Black folk expression through song, rhythm, and word. Whether folks came to perform or to simply listen, the night created a safe space to connect, create, and honor the stories that preserve culture.
An atmosphere that felt less like an event and more like an intimate gathering, brought together a group of creatives across generations. From poets to musicians, the night even welcomed first-time performers, like D Walters, who stepped up to the mic to leave observers inspired.
Some recalled memories through their words and others aligned their words with musical rhythm. While this was the first and the final time this event will take place this year, curators Porsha Olayiwola and Cliff Notez, anticipate many more events like these to come next year.
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