Heather ‘Byrd’ Roberts An Award Winning Poet Chats With Fierce

Heather 'Byrd' Roberts is an award-winning poet, creative catalyst, author of Mahogany: A Love Letter To Black, and founder of Byrd's World, built to inspire and transform lives through creativity. Her work is rooted in the need to unlearn, the power to affirm the Black experience, and creative joy. Her work enriches the student and educator experiences through storytelling and workshops. She also amplifies aspiring writer's voices so they can get out of their heads and onto the page, so they can confidently reclaim their creative joy. Byrd's shows, HERstory of HIStory and inHERitance: the stories we carry have appeared in several festivals.

Byrd’s artistic practice revolves around the intersectionality between form and freedom. Each story tastes like ripe mangos, cayenne pepper, or an eclectic combination of the two. Byrd’s work has appeared in several festivals, and publications including Sixfold, Expressions from Englewood, Hope Ignited, and will premier in Trouble The Waters: Tales from the Deep Blue in 2022.

Her career led her down the path of social justice advocacy, programming, and community outreach with a Bachelor's degree in Performance Art, a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership, and a Certificate in Spoken Word Pedagogy. Byrd is currently the Director of Education at Young Chicago Authors. Her favorite words are balloon and bubble. To join her on her journey, visit www.byrdsworld.com.