Dasha Kelly Hamilton

Dasha Kelly Hamilton is the Wisconsin Poet Laureate for 2021-2022. She is a writer, performance artist and creative change agent, applying the creative process to facilitate dialogues around human and social wellness. Dasha is the author of two novels, three poetry collections, four spoken word albums, and one collection of personal vignettes. She has taught at colleges, conferences, and classrooms and curated fellowships for emerging leaders. An Arts Envoy for the U.S. Embassy, Dasha has facilitated community building initiatives in Botswana, Toronto, Mauritius, and Beirut. Her touring production, Makin’ Cake, uniquely engages communities in a forward dialogue on race, class, and equity. Dasha is a national Rubinger Fellow and, concurrently, Poet Laureate for the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin.