Author Hannah V. Sawyerr, who served as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016, is set to release her sophomore novel in verse, “Truth Is,” on Sept. 26 at Baltimore Unity Hall.
The novel is inspired by slam poetry. Sawyerr is also a headliner at the Baltimore Book Festival in Waverly.
In conjunction with the release event, the book’s publisher, Abrams Books, will match the first 100 preordered books from Red Emma’s and donate them to local arts & activism organization Dewmore Baltimore to be distributed to Baltimore City and County poetry clubs.
“Truth Is” follows the voice of Truth Bangura, a 17-year-old slam poet navigating agency and productive choice in a post-Roe v. Wade society. The book is on the National Book Foundation’s 2025 National Book Awards Longlist in the “Young People’s Literature” category, just released Sept. 9.
The Baltimore launch of the book is sponsored by the Baltimore Black Arts District and is the largest stop of Sawyerr’s five-city book tour. The event is hosted by Slam Poetry Champion and Charm City Slam founder Kenneth Something. There will be performances by the Baltimore City Youth Poetry Team, music from Baltimore-based DJ Afr0delic, a book reading from the author, and a conversation between the author and bookfluencer and librarian Hawa Jalloh.
At the end of the evening, Sawyerr will sign books available from Red Emma’s. The store holds a special meaning for Sawyerr, as it is where slam practices were held when she was a youth slam member.
The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m. RSVP for the book release here.
*A previous version of this article used source information that missspelled DJ Afr0delic. The article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling. The article has also been updated to add an RSVP link, and The New Yorker 2025 Longlist award.
