Ebo Barton: Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Identity, Activism, and Social Justice

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and honor the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our society and culture. In honor of this month, we want to spotlight the incredible spoken word artist, Ebo Barton.

Ebo Barton is a mixed Black and Filipino, transgender and non-binary, queer artist and educator who is making waves in the poetry world. Their work is a powerful and moving exploration of identity, race, gender, and social justice. Ebo’s poetry is raw, honest, and unapologetic, and speaks to the experiences of those who are often marginalized and silenced.

Ebo’s work has been featured in various platforms, including Natasha Marin’s Black Imagination and audiobook, which was read by Grammy and Tony award winner, Daveed Diggs. They have also been featured on Write About Now, Button Poetry, and All Def Poetry channels. In 2016, Ebo placed 5th in the World at Individual World Poetry Slam. In 2017, they co-wrote and co-produced the award-winning play, “Rising Up”. In 2018 and 2019, they played “Invisible One” in Anastacia Renee’s “Queer. Mama. Crossroads”. Ebo debuted their first published collection of poetry, Insubordinate, in 2020. In 2021, Insubordinate was named a Washington State Book Award Finalist in the Poetry Category and Black Imagination was named a Washington State Award Finalist in the Creative Non-Fiction Category.

Ebo is not only a talented poet but also a leader in arts and activism. They are committed to creating opportunities for others to organize, heal, and rejoice. Ebo’s community work demands societal reckoning and provides a space for individuals to explore their identity and find their voice.

Ebo Barton’s work is a testament to the power of spoken word poetry to inspire, educate, and uplift. Their poetry challenges us to confront the injustices and inequalities that exist in our society and inspires us to work towards a more just and equitable world. As we celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we honor Ebo Barton, along with many other talented artists, and their contributions to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, the poetry world, and society as a whole.