ROLL: Read it Out Loud, Love.

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About

ROLL (Read Out Loud Love) is a monthly open mic poetry night rooted in tenderness, community, and shared language. Held in Vancouver, ROLL invites everyone—first-timers, seasoned poets, and passionate listeners—to gather and speak the words that move them, whether they’re original poems or beloved pieces by other writers.

For our special Culture Days edition, guests can expect an intimate and inclusive evening of spoken word in a queer-welcoming space. We’ll begin with a gentle writing warm-up to ease into the creative flow, followed by an open mic where anyone is invited to read aloud. You don’t have to consider yourself a performer—if you’ve ever underlined a passage in a book or jotted a thought in your notes app, you’ll feel right at home here.

ROLL is free, participatory, and built around emotional presence. We prioritize softness, care, and artistic vulnerability. Attendees often describe the night as “nourishing” and “brave”—a space where poetry becomes a way to feel less alone. Chairs will be available, and tea and snacks will be offered to create a cozy, communal atmosphere.

Whether you come to share or simply to listen, you’ll leave having witnessed something real—quietly powerful, beautifully human.

Organizer

Mara Alvarez

My name is Mara Álvarez, and I’m a Mexican-Canadian poet, photographer, and community arts organizer based in Vancouver. I’m passionate about creating spaces where people can connect through language, tenderness, and shared cultural expression.

In early 2024, I launched ROLL (Read Out Loud Love)—a monthly open mic poetry night centered on belonging, spoken word, and collective care. The event invites people of all backgrounds to share poems that resonate with them—whether their own or by writers they admire. ROLL is free, queer-welcoming, and intentionally designed to be a soft, low-pressure space where creativity and vulnerability are celebrated.

Throughout the year, I host these sessions regularly and connect with local writers, emerging artists, and literary enthusiasts to build community around poetry and shared voice. ROLL is rooted in the belief that art doesn’t need to be polished or formal to be meaningful—it just needs to be shared.

This Culture Days edition continues that vision: creating accessible, participatory spaces that remind us how deeply human it is to speak, to listen, and to be moved together.

Partners

Elysian Coffee elysiancoffee.com