Conversations with Celia Douglas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Celia Douglas.

Celia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a Black queer multidisciplinary artist, educator, performer, and storyteller from Southern California, and my passion for the arts began through church plays, gospel music, musicals, and storytelling at a young age. Writing became the one creative outlet that stayed with me throughout every chapter of my life and eventually led me into poetry, performance, filmmaking, and community work.

While attending Grover Cleveland Charter High School, I became deeply involved in both the arts and student leadership. I participated in the Black Student Union and Student Body Association as Director of Sound and directed a cultural assembly called Black Brown Love to celebrate unity on campus. I also founded the school’s poetry slam team, became Co-President of the Poetry Club, helped organize Cafe Night showcases, and co-founded The Writer’s Block, a literary magazine dedicated to student poetry, prose, and visual art. One of my proudest moments was leading my slam team to victory at the Get Lit Words Ignite Classic Poetry Slam during my senior year.

I later earned my Bachelor’s degree in English with a focus on poetry and performance from Bennett College, where I founded the Bellesody Poetry Club and explored filmmaking through social commentary and poetic short films. I then pursued my Master’s degree in Creative Writing and Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, where I taught creative writing and continued developing my voice as an artist and educator.

In 2024, I launched Melt the Mic Productions after producing and hosting the first Los Angeles Valley poetry slam. Since then, I’ve hosted over 50 open mics and facilitated creative writing workshops across the United States and United Kingdom. My work explores identity, vulnerability, mental health, and Black queer joy while creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and connected.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of my biggest challenges has been learning how to trust my own voice and believe that my experiences are worthy of taking up space. Early on, I often found myself trying to fit into expectations of what a poet, artist, educator, or leader should sound like rather than embracing who I already was. Over time, I realized that the stories that resonated most with people were the ones rooted in honesty, vulnerability, and lived experience.

As a Black nonbinary lesbian, there have been spaces where my identity has been celebrated and others where it has been questioned, misunderstood, or dismissed. There is a unique challenge in navigating environments that are comfortable with parts of who you are but become uncomfortable when you refuse to shrink yourself to fit their expectations. Learning to stand firm in my identity while continuing to create has been both difficult and empowering.

Writing became a way for me to process those experiences and transform them into something meaningful. Poetry gave me language for things I didn’t always know how to say out loud. Performance taught me how to share those truths with others. Event curating became an extension of that work. I wanted to create the kinds of spaces I needed when I was younger: spaces where people could show up fully as themselves and know they belonged.

The struggles I’ve faced have ultimately shaped my purpose. They taught me that art is more than self-expression. It is connection, community, and care. Whether I’m writing a poem, leading a workshop, or producing an open mic through Melt the Mic Productions, I see it as an act of love for myself and for the communities that have helped me grow. My goal has never been just to be heard. It’s to create opportunities for others to feel seen, heard, and valued as well.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a multidisciplinary artist, poet, educator, event producer, and storyteller whose work centers on identity, community, vulnerability, and human connection. While poetry is the foundation of my creative practice, I also work across education, event production, filmmaking, and community arts programming. Through my organization, Melt the Mic Productions, I produce open mics, poetry slams, workshops, and creative spaces that encourage people to share their stories and connect with one another.

I specialize in creating experiences that bring people together through storytelling. Whether I’m performing a poem, facilitating a workshop, or curating an event, my goal is to help people feel seen, heard, and empowered. Much of my work explores Black queer joy, self-discovery, mental health, love, and the complexities of navigating the world authentically.

What I am most proud of is the community I have built. I’ve had the privilege of hosting more than 50 open mics, teaching creative writing workshops, mentoring emerging artists, and creating spaces where people feel comfortable sharing their voices. Watching someone perform for the first time, gain confidence, or discover a sense of belonging is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

What sets me apart is my approach to art as both creative expression and community care. I don’t see poetry as something that only belongs on a stage or in a book. I see it as a tool for connection, healing, and transformation. Every event, workshop, and project I create is rooted in the belief that stories have the power to bring people together and inspire change.

At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to creating spaces where authenticity is celebrated and where people leave feeling more connected to themselves, their creativity, and their community.

How do you define success?
I define success by the impact my art has on people and the legacy it leaves behind. Success isn’t just about book sales, audience size, awards, or recognition. It’s about creating work that continues to live in people long after they’ve experienced it.

Success is when someone hears one of my poems and feels understood. It’s when a person finds the courage to share a story they’ve been holding onto for years because they saw someone else be vulnerable first. It’s when my art sparks reflection, healing, conversation, or action. If my work helps even one person feel less alone, then I believe it has done its job.

I also define success as having the freedom to create authentically without compromising who I am. As a Black nonbinary lesbian artist, success means embracing my full identity and telling stories that are honest, nuanced, and rooted in lived experience. It means creating art that celebrates joy, explores difficult truths, and makes space for voices that are often overlooked.

Most importantly, success is building a body of work that outlives me. I want my poems, performances, books, films, and community spaces to continue inspiring people long after I’m gone. If years from now someone encounters my work and feels empowered to tell their own story, love themselves more deeply, or create positive change in their community, that is success to me.

At its core, success is about connection. It’s about leaving the world a little more compassionate, courageous, and creative than I found it. While having all the fun along the way.

Pricing:

• Workshops $10-$20
• With a Chance of Rainbows Book: $18
• Take Flight Collection: $22 (Book + Bookmark + Handfolded Paper Plane)
• Reader’s Bundle: $20 (Book + Bookmark)
• Flight Companion Bundle: $20 (Book + Handfolded Paper Plane)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celia_dapoet/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celia-douglas-127b52a7/?skipRedirect=true
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/softriotcreative/?etsrc=sdt

Image Credits
Da Poetry Lounge, Get Lit Words Ignite, VD Soul Photography, and Celia DaPoet Douglas