artists + poets
Lydia Joy
Civic Saturday 11.02.24 | Lean on Me by Bill Withers and You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
Akron’s own Lydia Joy is a singer-songwriter with a passion for crafting music that resonates deeply with the soul. Her goal is to create sounds that uplift and inspire, leaving a lasting emotional impact. She is also co-founder of The Sisterly Collective, a wellness community and one of our Civic Matchmaking orgs represented at Civic Saturday 2024 by Lydia and co-founder Chinna Parker.
Hear Lydia’s latest on Spotify and follow her on Instagram.
Floco torres
Civic Saturday 11.02.24 | History Lesson by Walter Delbridge and A New National Anthem by Ada Limon
Floco (pronounced Flock-o) Torres is a Hip-Hop musician 38 projects deep into his career. He has envisioned and revisioned his creative expression countless times, and with this adaptive nature, he has gained a steady following for his hip-hop-meets-alternative rock style. A New Jersey native and current resident of Akron, OH, Floco created the Hip-Hop duo Free Black! in 2018 with producer/drummer HR3. Citing influences such as Kid Cudi, Tame Impala, and St. Vincent, Floco continues to redefine hip-hop with his own personal style through his flows, production, and graphic design.
Hear Floco’s latest release This Creative Life and sign up for his newsletter at nobodycaresnews.com
Kate Tucker
Civic Saturday 10.05.24 | The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan and America the Beautiful by Buffy Sainte-Marie
Kate Tucker is an American performing artist, producer, and writer with eight records and many collaborations in music, film, podcasts, books, art exhibitions, and immersive events. In short, she knows how to throw a good party.
Watch Kate’s music video for A Little Bit of Love and follow her on Instagram.
xposyur
Civic Saturday 10.05.24 + 05.18.24 | Invisible Duct Tape
Xposyur aka Tha Hood Apostle is a wordsmith, artist, musician, and lyrical entymologist. As co-host of TedEx Akron, Xposyur brings powerful stage presence, collaborative energy, rhymes and wisdom to communities across Akron and beyond.
Watch a recent interview and follow Xposyur on Instagram.
Ben & Sarah White
Civic Saturday 05.18.24 | Lean on Me and Here Comes the Sun
Meet Ben and Sarah White, college sweethearts and dad and mom to three kiddos in West Akron. Sarah hosts Good Morning Akron for WAOH-TV, with Ben often joining her. This dynamic duo shares a true heart for the Akron community, especially Kenmore, where they lead Streetlight Community Church.
Watch Ben & Sarah on Good Morning Akron and follow them on Instagram.
jason blakely
Civic Saturday 04.13.24 | The Light
Jason F. Blakely is a local poet and author, creative community content creator, and owner of Poetry Is Life Publishing, a small poetry book publishing company in Akron. His love for poetry and bringing people together is a necessary and joyous responsibility that he takes pride in and a process he respects greatly. Jason is the author of five poetry books, and he has created opportunities for others to share their poetry through over 40 compilation books and poetry contests.
Read Jason’s poetry at PoetryIsLifePublishing.com and follow him on Facebook.
Jenny Baird
Civic Saturday 04.13.24 | Let It Be and Underdog
Songwriter, singer, performer, music coach, founder of Rockstar Camp, Jenny Baird brings so much joy and light to Akron with her original music and powerful voice. With her most recent release The Wild Is Me, Jenny says “I hope that as you listen, you’ll find places that feel like home, moments that allow you to spark a change in your own life, and words that go with you and keep you company on your journey.”
Hear Jenny’s music on Spotify and follow her on Instagram.