Saturday, January 14, 2006 will launch the 10^th Anniversary Poetry Extravaganza Gala, specifically designed for a large community following. As a sign of gratitude, Collective Voices, the hosts of the annual event, will be joined by former members, community supporters, spoken word artists of all genre, musicians, authors, poets, corporations, and politicans. Poetry Extravaganza 2006, in commemoration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, 2006, 2:00-5:30 p.m at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library at 901 G St. (Lower level Auditorium, Room A-5), NW, Washington, DC. Conveyed through the spoken and written word, song, dance, music, and drama by some of DC’s most powerful, positive, and provocative artisans, the 10^th annual literary salute encourages everyone to bask in an afternoon of poignant, powerful, and moving presentations in an uplifting and fortifying tribute to the slain giant.

Collective Voices, a Washington, DC-based sisterhood of poets, addresses socially relevant issues and challenges of today with positive words of inspiration will “Poetry Extravaganza 2006”, a free-to-the-community event, in collaboration with CAAPA (Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts).

The poetry group, founded in 1996, is comprised of J. Joy “Sistah Joy” Matthews Alford, Sylvia Dianne “Lady Di” Beverly-Patterson, and Billye Okera.  Past members Carolyn Coley -Joyner and  Angela Boykin-Turnull will participate in this 10^th year tribute.  Now deceased founding member, Margie Jones, will be posthumously honored in the form of an annual scholarship to her surviving young daughter, Terina Nicole Jones.  Washington, DC Poet Laureate, Delores Kendrick,  will serve as this year’s “POET OF DISTINCTION”.