Santa Monica Reading Series

05/20/2026

Join us for Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays on Fri, June 5, 8:30pm for our Decennial Series, a year of events celebrating our 10-Year Anniversary!

FEATURED POET: Carlos Ornelas !
+ Open Mic (limited) +Reception with Book Signing & Refreshments.
DIRECTOR & HOST: Cynthia Alessandra Briano

Event Page: Fri June 5 Santa Monica Reading Series 1st Fridays: Carlos Ornelas & Open Mic

OPEN MIC: 10 Readers/Musicians
-Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm.
-TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.
*Elevate Black Voices: Join us in amplifying and celebrating Black voices by bringing a poem or prose excerpt by a Black author to read alongside your own work.

LOCATION: In-person & online at the historic Rapp Saloon at Santa Monica Hostel & via Zoom! SMRS 1st Fridays takes place in the oldest building in Santa Monica, a historic landmark, & community space housed in & operated by . Thank you for hosting us! Free & open to the public, all ages.
IN PERSON: 1436 2nd St. Santa Monica, CA 90401
&
ZOOM link posted 3 hours before event.
*Zoom link also posted in Instagram

**PLEASE DISPLAY YOUR NAME CLEARLY ON YOUR ZOOM ACCOUNT. If you would like to read at the open mic, please send a private message to the host once you are inside the Zoom meeting.

COST: Free & open to the public, all ages.
PARKING: Directly across the street at the city parking structure 6.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Expo Line Downtown Santa Monica Station is .4 miles walking distance (about 7 mins).

ABOUT: All voices, arts, abilities, and identities welcome. Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays remains committed to creating a forum for expression that actively works towards dismantling racism, and amplifying and celebrating marginalized voices. Join us in our ongoing efforts to create spaces where voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are heard, supported, and received with joy. Artists and writers are welcome and encouraged to present their art in any language and format they prefer. All faiths welcome. All gender expressions and identities welcome. All forms of artistic expression welcome. No restrictions or expectations on theme. The fullness of your humanity welcome.

05/01/2026

ZOOM & Limited OPEN MIC INFO for Friday, May 1, 2026 event:

OPEN MIC (limited): 10 Readers/Musicians
-Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm.
-TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.

*Elevate Black Voices: Join us in amplifying and celebrating Black voices by bringing a poem or prose excerpt by a Black author to read alongside your own work. All themes/formats welcome. All languages welcome.

**PLEASE DISPLAY YOUR FULL NAME ON YOUR ZOOM ACCOUNT**If you would like to read at the open mic, the host will ask for show of hands once you are inside the Zoom meeting. Thank you!

Zoom link also posted in Instagram

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81099192277?pwd=ENlgzQE2ep9BkOsGAWG8JVyhfzUyZ9.1

Meeting ID: 810 9919 2277
Passcode: 705470

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

04/30/2026

Excited to Feature Claudia D. Hernández-Warwas .d.hernandez at our Friday, May. 1, 2026 event! Host: Cynthia Alessandra Briano. +Open Mic! Reception with Book Signing & refreshments to follow! Join us!

OPEN MIC: 10 Readers/Musicians. Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm. TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.

Event Page: Fri May 1 Santa Monica Reading Series 1st Fridays: Claudia D. Hernández-Warwas & Open Mic

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81099192277?pwd=ENlgzQE2ep9BkOsGAWG8JVyhfzUyZ9.1
Meeting ID: 810 9919 2277
Passcode: 705470

ABOUT CLAUDIA D. HERNÁNDEZ-WARWAS:
Claudia D. Hernández-Warwas was born and raised in Guatemala. She’s a photographer, poet, editor, translator, and a bilingual educator residing in Los Angeles. Hernández-Warwas is the author of THE ORCHID OF QUETZALI, KNITTING THE FOG, a finalist for the 2020 Firecracker Award in Creative Nonfiction. She is also an award winning editor for her anthology photography book titled WOMEN, MUJERES, IXOQ: REVOLUTIONARY VISIONS. She is the founder of the ongoing project: Today’s Revolutionary Women of Color.
Claudia holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles. Various online literary journals and anthologies throughout the United States, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain have published her work. Claudia is the recipient of the 2018 Louise Meriwether First Book Prize.

LEARN MORE: https://www.claudiadhernandez.com/

CONNECT: .d.hernandez

04/30/2026

Join us for Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays (Previously ) on Fri, May 1, 8:30pm for our Decennial Series, a year of events celebrating our 10-Year Anniversary!

FEATURED WRITER: Claudia D. Hernández-Warwas .d.hernandez !
+ Open Mic (limited) +Reception with Book Signing & Refreshments.

DIRECTOR & HOST: Cynthia Alessandra Briano .

Event Page: Fri May 1 Santa Monica Reading Series 1st Fridays: Claudia D. Hernández-Warwas & Open Mic

OPEN MIC: 10 Readers/Musicians
-Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm.
-TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.
*Elevate Black Voices: Join us in amplifying and celebrating Black voices by bringing a poem or prose excerpt by a Black author to read alongside your own work.

LOCATION: In-person & online at the historic Rapp Saloon at Santa Monica Hostel & via Zoom! SMRS 1st Fridays takes place in the oldest building in Santa Monica, a historic landmark, & community space housed in & operated by . Thank you for hosting us! Free & open to the public, all ages.

IN PERSON: 1436 2nd St. Santa Monica, CA 90401
&
ZOOM Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81099192277?pwd=ENlgzQE2ep9BkOsGAWG8JVyhfzUyZ9.1

Meeting ID: 810 9919 2277
Passcode: 705470

*Zoom link also posted in Instagram

**PLEASE DISPLAY YOUR NAME CLEARLY ON YOUR ZOOM ACCOUNT. If you would like to read at the open mic, please send a private message to the host once you are inside the Zoom meeting.

COST: Free & open to the public, all ages.
PARKING: Directly across the street at the city parking structure 6.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Expo Line Downtown Santa Monica Station is .4 miles walking distance (about 7 mins).

ABOUT: All voices, arts, abilities, and identities welcome. Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays remains committed to creating a forum for expression that actively works towards dismantling racism, and amplifying and celebrating marginalized voices. Join us in our ongoing efforts to create spaces where voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are heard, supported, and received with joy. Artists and writers are welcome and encouraged to present their art in any language and format they prefer. All faiths welcome. All gender expressions and identities welcome. All forms of artistic expression welcome. No restrictions or expectations on theme. The fullness of your humanity welcome.

04/17/2026

💙💙💙

We’d like to introduce you to our new Beyond Baroque Board of Trustees Treasurer, Cynthia Alessandra Briano! We’re thrilled to have Cynthia on our board and excited to see what she brings to our organization!

Cynthia Alessandra Briano is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and grew up in Southeast L.A. She is Director of Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays (previously Rapp Saloon Reading Series) and Founder of Love On Demand Global, which creates custom-poems on vintage typewriters and donates a portion of proceeds to charities. She is a College Counselor and teaches English Literature, Creative Writing, and African American Arts & Literature. She has taught at California State University Fullerton in the Ethnic Studies Program as Lecturer in the African American Studies Department, and she is Co-host of Black Book Chat. Cynthia is Founder of Spitfire Literary Arts, offering Manuscript Editing and College Application Consulting. She was awarded the 2023-2024 Artist Fellowship from the City of Santa Monica and serves as Treasurer on the Board of Trustees at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center.

04/03/2026

ZOOM & Limited OPEN MIC INFO for Friday, April 3, 2026 event:

OPEN MIC (limited): 10 Readers/Musicians
-Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm.
-TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.

*Elevate Black Voices: Join us in amplifying and celebrating Black voices by bringing a poem or prose excerpt by a Black author to read alongside your own work. All themes/formats welcome. All languages welcome.

**PLEASE DISPLAY YOUR FULL NAME CLEARLY ON YOUR ZOOM ACCOUNT**If you would like to read at the open mic, the host will ask for show of hands once you are inside the Zoom meeting. Thank you!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86281350939?pwd=SdnorOJo6V3aqwXV1l1i4n4oTepNWf.1

Meeting ID: 862 8135 0939
Passcode: 748185

Zoom link also posted Instagram

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

04/03/2026

Excited to Feature Lara Roizen at our Friday, Apr. 3, 2026 event! Host: Cynthia Alessandra Briano. +Open Mic! Reception with Book Signing & refreshments to follow! Join us!

OPEN MIC: 10 Readers/Musicians. Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm. TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.

Event Page: Fri Apr 3 Santa Monica Reading Series 1st Fridays: Jennifer "Miss B" Baptiste, Lara Roizen & OpenMic

Lara Roizen is a Ukrainian-American songwriter and composer who comes from a long line of Ukrainian musicians, singers, and composers. She trained classically on the piano and performed with an orchestra at the age of 12 before turning to writing music. She went on to study Music and Literature at Harvard, where she earned her PhD. Her main influences are Rachmaninov, the American songbook and jazz standards, and the great singer-songwriters of the 20th century (Billy Joel, Carole King). Her music has been described as romantic and jazzy with an edge. She has performed at Hotel Cafe, the Mint Theater, and is doing a solo show at Peabody Conservatory in the fall, where she is collaborating with a Literature Professor to adapt Russian poetry to music.

04/03/2026

Excited to Feature Jennifer “Miss B” Baptiste at our Friday, Apr. 3, 2026 event! Host: Cynthia Alessandra Briano. +Open Mic! Reception with Book Signing & refreshments to follow! Join us!

OPEN MIC: 10 Readers/Musicians. Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm. TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.

Event Page: Fri Apr 3 Santa Monica Reading Series 1st Fridays: Jennifer "Miss B" Baptiste, Lara Roizen & OpenMic

Jennifer “Miss B” Baptiste is a writer, librarian, line artist, and voice actor living in Hollywood. She was born and raised in Texas and is of Haitian descent. Her favorite color is pink, she is a vegan foodie, and also enjoys day trip adventures.

She creates lyrical introspective pieces that resonate with the heart and mind to promote healing, empowerment, and curiosity. You can explore her work through various literary anthologies, her published zines, shop WheresMsB's stationery collection, or at local open mics. Miss B. also promotes and uplifts other writers through her literary interviews as host of LA Poet Society's "Voices Of Color" IG Live Series.

Feel free to connect with her at www.jenniferbapitste.com or on social media platforms.

04/01/2026

Join us IN-PERSON/ONLINE for Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays (Previously ) on Fri, April 3, 8:30pm for our Decennial Series, a year of events celebrating our 10-Year Anniversary!

FEATURED WRITER: "Miss B" Baptiste !
FEATURED MUSICIAN: Lara Roizen
+ Open Mic (limited) +Reception with Book Signing & Refreshments.
*Stay for the reception and Cynthia's birthday celebration!

DIRECTOR & HOST: Cynthia Alessandra Briano .

Event Page: Fri Apr 3 Santa Monica Reading Series 1st Fridays: Jennifer "Miss B" Baptiste, Lara Roizen & OpenMic

OPEN MIC: 10 Readers/Musicians
-Sign-up OPENS at 8:15pm PT in-person/via Zoom & CLOSES at 8:30pm.
-TIME LIMIT: 4 minutes MAX.
*Elevate Black Voices: Join us in amplifying and celebrating Black voices by bringing a poem or prose excerpt by a Black author to read alongside your own work.

LOCATION: The historic Rapp Saloon at Santa Monica Hostel & via Zoom! SMRS 1st Fridays takes place in the oldest building in Santa Monica, a historic landmark, & community space housed in & operated by . Thank you for hosting us! Free & open to the public, all ages.

IN PERSON: 1436 2nd St. Santa Monica, CA 90401
&
ZOOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86281350939?pwd=SdnorOJo6V3aqwXV1l1i4n4oTepNWf.1

Meeting ID: 862 8135 0939
Passcode: 748185
Zoom link also posted in Instagram

**PLEASE DISPLAY YOUR NAME CLEARLY ON YOUR ZOOM ACCOUNT. If you would like to read at the open mic, please send a private message to the host once you are inside the Zoom meeting.

COST: Free & open to the public, all ages.
PARKING: Directly across the street at the city parking structure 6.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Expo Line Downtown Santa Monica Station is .4 miles walking distance (about 7 mins).

ABOUT: All voices, arts, abilities, and identities welcome. Santa Monica Reading Series First Fridays remains committed to creating a forum for expression that actively works towards dismantling racism, and amplifying and celebrating marginalized voices. Join us in our ongoing efforts to create spaces where voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are heard, supported, and received with joy. Artists and writers are welcome and encouraged to present their art in any language and format they prefer. All faiths welcome. All gender expressions and identities welcome. All forms of artistic expression welcome. No restrictions or expectations on theme. The fullness of your humanity welcome.

01/03/2026

UPDATE: No Open Mic
Jan 2, 2026.
First Fridays
resumes Feb 6.