Nairobi Williese Barnes

Nairobi Williese Barnes (Nye-ROE-bee Will-ee-ESS Barnes) is a lifelong resident of Oakland, CA. She is a poet, artist, and activist whose work centers the Black experience, womanhood, and inclusion for all diversity. Her creative journey has included producing educational videos with KQED and PBS that explore topics such as voting rights, discrimination against Black women, and the cultural significance of Black hair. These projects aim to shift the conversation, challenge harmful narratives, and encourage accountability in the ways we support and uplift one another. As Oakland’s 2023 Youth Poet Laureate, Nairobi has traveled across the Bay Area, leading poetry workshops in schools and empowering young people to find their voices through verse. Her poetry echoes the themes she lives by: justice, identity, and transformation. A woman who leads with her heart, she lets poetry follow and flow naturally from every part of who she is.