From October 23rd to 30th, 2026, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) hosts I Guess It Was My Destiny To Live So Long, a poetry series curated by poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib. Now in its third year, the programme celebrates Brooklyn poet June Jordan’s legacy through readings, live music and multidisciplinary performances, connecting voices and histories across the African Diaspora.
Where poetry, music and memory converge
The programme opens on October 23rd at the Howard Gilman Opera House, where composer and instrumentalist Meshell Ndegeocello joins Samora Pinderhughes for an evening of words and music. On October 25th, BAM hosts its first Poetry Overnight, a free, all-night gathering at The Adam Space featuring readings and collaborations until sunrise.
On October 28th, Southern Oracles, conceived by Scott Woods, brings the Black Air Poets to The Adam Space for a free performance blending jazz, hip-hop, poetry and dance to examine the mythology and cultural legacy of the American South.
Black joy, freedom and friendship
On October 29th, Be Holding arrives at BAM Fisher’s Fishman Space. Based on Ross Gay’s poem, the performance connects an iconic basketball move by NBA legend Dr. J with ideas of Black flight and joy, accompanied by music from Tyshawn Sorey and video.
The series closes on October 30th with Stones in the Water, an annual reading featuring Abdurraqib and poets Sarah Kay, Clint Smith and Anis Mojgani. Marking their tenth joint engagement, the gathering celebrates friendship and the bonds forged through artistic practice.
Across the week, Abdurraqib honours Jordan’s legacy by framing poetry as a meeting point for music, movement, memory and community.
Explore our Hanif Abdurraqib interview, where the Ohio-based poet and writer reflects on the musicality of language, the beauty of everyday details, and the search for shared human experiences.
Photography by ELLEN QBERTPLAYA
All photography courtesy of BAM
