Poetry Slam Inc
"Scrabble" Ebo Barton - 2016 Individual World Poetry Slam Finals
Ebo Barton is a Black and Filipino queer poet and artist living in Seattle, Washington. They are the 2007 Bainbridge Island Poetry Slam Champion, a five-time finalist of the Seattle Poetry Slam Grand Slam (2009,2010, 2011, 2012, 2015) and the first woman to win Jack McCarthy’s Evergreen Invitational (2011). In 2008, Barton placed 23 out of 72 at Women of the World Poetry Slam and in 2013, placed 16 out of 72 at Individual World Poetry Slam. In 2014, Barton was placed first in the Rain City Slam Championship earning them a spot on the first Rain City Slam National Team. At National Poetry Slam 2014, Rain City Slam placed 7th in the nation. In 2015, they secured a spot on the Seattle Poetry Slam National Team. Seattle Poetry Slam in 2015 went on to Group Piece Finals as the top ten group pieces in the nation. Barton has taught Creative Writing and Performance Poetry at Bent: A Queer Writing Institute. Ela has been featured on National Public Radio, SeattleGayScene.com, Button Poetry, EverydayFeminism.com and King 5 (Seattle) News. Their work has been featured in Adrienne: A Poetry Journal of Queer Women by Sibling Rivalry Press. They are the founder of the Rain City Poetry Slam and adapted the concept of Vancouver’s “Mashed Poetics” to create a similar monthly, music inspired, poetry show, Liner Notes. Barton’s most recent project is a show titled, “How to love THIS Queer Body of Color: An Unapology” Poetry and spoken word addressing “the strength and resiliency it takes to live in the body of a Queer Person of Color.” which debuted October 2015 in partnership with Gay City Arts.
