Elizabeth Hsu (she/her) is the Eighth Youth Poet Laureate of Houston, Texas. She was a semifinalist for the 2023–2024 National Student Poet. She is a poetry alumnus of the Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship and the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio. Her recent work has appeared in Rust + Moth, NPR: Houston Public Media, miniMAG, and elsewhere.

Marie Brown is a mother, poet, and author whose writings address social, spiritual, and testimonial issues in her artistry. Marie was the first woman of color to compete as a member of the Inaugural Houston Poetry Slam Team, 2002 where the team accomplished semi-final status within the PSI National Poetry. Marie was the first woman to win the I-conic Blue Bonnet Slam Poetry, 2007.Marie released her debut album, 2003 entitled "Ruby Do Hair". 2nd album, 2005 entitled "Home Grown" and 3rd album/DVD, 2009 entitled "Ready or Not". Proceeds from her artistry has benefited the Santa Maria's Women's Shelter in Houston, Texas, The Texas Families Against Violence of San Antonio, Texas and the Grip Organization in South Africa who provides health needs for clients living with aids. Marie served as a volunteer coach to the N.A.A.C.P. Act-So Poetry Division (2006-2013), two championships in the Poetry Division were accomplished. Marie has taught creative writing classes to refugee students in the Alief School District. Marie received the 2013 Y.M.C.A. Achievement Award for her dedicated community service. 2018, Marie was a paid spokesperson for Houston Metro-Ride Transit. Her commercials appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Channel 39, radio voice overs and website. In 2023, Marie was one of the recipients of the Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" scholarship competition at Texas Southern University funded by Radio Broadcaster Ben Thompson a.k.a. Madd-Hadder and return to school after over 30 years of nursing to pursue a degree in English. Marie's next project is completion of her autobiography entitled, " An American Life".

RJ Wright is a writer from Seattle, Washington, by way of Cambridge, England. He has a BS in Psychology with a minor in Military Science from The Prairie View A&M University. He is now pursuing a Masters in Human Science, serving as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve and is currently living in Houston TX. He hopes to inspire a new generation of writers and poets as well as promote mental health in the African American community through his art. RJ has been performing nationally since 2016. RJ’s work is a depiction of his life experience from growing up a military brat to his own military career. He talks about family and finding himself while helping others find peace as he takes on the challenge of a career in mental health. He has been a member of nationally ranked slam poetry teams that have competed across the United States. He is the 2016 Houston Performance Poet of the Year, the 2017 Bayou City Slam Champion, and most recently, SoFried Champs 2024 with Smoke Slam Poets.

Ellis Diep is a writer and creative from Houston, Texas. He holds a BA in English from the University of Houston and was a Rowan intern for Grackle and Grackle Literary Enterprises. A jack of trades, he seeks to find a story in anything. His poems can be found on allpoetry/EED and @ellis.dio.