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Hello everyone,

My name is Thom LaPorte and I’m the president of Calliope: A Poetry Podcast. This podcast is more than just poets reading their work, more than just poets telling their life stories; this is a podcast built on Inspiration—a podcast which strives to inspire writers to tell their stories. In doing so, I’ve brought together a team with the common goal of making sure these beautiful voices are heard. 

So, what is Calliope: A Poetry Podcast?

We will hold live poetry readings across New Jersey where we’ll record our content, encouraging approximately 10 poets to read per show on a first-come first-serve basis. Poets will be able to read their work and talk about the story behind the poem—whether that be a life story or from a craft perspective. We will then select 4 or 5 of those poets for an interview where we will delve deeper into their life stories and creative process. All of this content will be compiled and released bimonthly. 

This is a form of publishing, so poets will be asked to read unpublished works. 

This campaign will raise funds for venues, hosting, equipment, and more, and it will allow us to take the final steps into making this idea a reality. While we are already booking shows, this will help us find larger venues and advertise to a larger audience. 

Currently, hundreds of dollars have lovingly gone into purchasing equipment including speakers, microphones, XLR cords, etc. I was privileged to purchase these out-of-pocket for my goal of getting voices heard—in fact, success to me is simply getting this podcast out and making people feel heard. But I need further assistance in making this dream real for myself and my team. 

Costs that still need to be covered: There are an assortment of costs which come with this kind of project, including the cost of hosting for the podcast, advertising, cost of venues, and replacing any equipment that might glitch out along the way. 

Our current plan is to have live events on a bimonthly schedule (every other month), allowing us to release episodes bimonthly. Taking all of this into consideration, it will cost roughly $3,390 on a moderate budget. 

However, if we raise more money than that, we will be able to get a website, PO Box, Mailchimp, and even more advertising which will only benefit our poets! To get all of these extra components, we would need roughly $5,500.

Your support means everything to us! Every dollar allows us to pursue our passion as writers and poets, and lets us give the stage to tons of other poets from all different backgrounds. Every dollar given is another voice heard.

The Patron Pantheon

Euterpe: Social media shoutout and access to theme song

Clio: Podcast shoutout + previous tier

Melpomene: Pin pack + previous tiers

Thalia: Behind the scenes content + previous tiers

Urania: Early access to first 3 episodes + previous tiers

Polyhymnia: Episode Dedication + Euterpe + Clio

Erato: Poetry Workshop + Euterpe + Clio

Terpsichore: Associate Patron Producer credit for 1 episode of Season 1 + previous tiers (except for the episode dedication and the poetry workshop)

Calliope: Executive Patron Producer credit for entirety of Season 1 + previous tiers (except for the episode dedication and the poetry workshop)

Thom LaPorte

I'm Mayan (Guatemalan-American) and have a Master's in Writing. In my free time, I read mind-bending comics and listen to metal/hardcore/indie music. As you can guess, the thing that inspires me most is writers sharing their journeys and life stories. In Greek mythology, I have a strong connection to Atlas, the Titan who bears the heavens on his shoulders.

Hannah Tran

I'm the Vice President! I'm a Vietnamese-Chinese-American poet and creative nonfiction essayist with a Bachelor's in Writing. When I'm not writing, I'm outside wandering nature trails or inside playing video games. I feel the most inspired when people express their truth or distill the true nature of something in their writing. It is a magical moment when something resonates so deeply that you can feel it in your body and soul.

Eric Uhorchuk

I'm head of Public Relations, as well as one of our lead interviewers! I'm a professor of writing with several publications in Wingless Dreamer’s Echoes of Frost and Fantasies, Darkness in Me, as well as Troublemaker Firestarter Magazine. Other than poetry, I love music, writing fantasy/sci-fi, and hosting TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. I'm constantly inspired by the people who witness and shape art—you never know who you can reach with your work, and sometimes, the lives of others can inspire you to change things about yourself!

Tara Grier

I'm the head of Social Media! I have a Master's in Writing and primarily write fiction, but love poetry as well. In my free time, I like to read, (try to) cook, and sleep! What I find most inspiring is being surrounded by other writers—experiencing and celebrating others' talent is so important for my own creativity.

Rach Ventrella

I'm the Assistant Editor and also part of the social media team! I'm a poet with a Bachelor's in Writing and I love to publish zines, paint, and read. My poems are more often than not internally driven—pulling from my emotion and passions in the moment, at that moment. But I also seek inspiration from who and what surrounds me: human nature, and nature.

Nick Koumis

I'm the head of Audio and Video Production! I started out as a writer and illustrator, but eventually began a career in film and television where I am currently a digital media producer. I love to create visual art in particular, and enjoy playing video games in my free time! I'm inspired by the beauty of the natural world and the creations of other artists.

Robert Pallante

I'm an Assistant Editor and the Assistant Audio Production Editor. I write both fiction and poetry. In my spare time I like to hike and have an interest in collecting vintage pulp novels. Works of art that focus on the humanity of individual people and their lives are deeply inspiring to me, and I try to capture this in my own work as well.

Remy Desai-Patel

I'm the Executive Music Producer and Composer! I write mostly fiction but have also written poetry. I love film, music, and cool cars. I'm inspired mostly by fellow musicians, artists, and creators such as RZA of Wu Tang Clan, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, the Safdie brothers, and J Dilla. I'm a strong believer that the art we take in is like food for the art we create ourselves.

Booking venues for our events remains a bigger challenge, especially when they ask for cash upfront. By raising funds here, we can alleviate that issue and help us secure venues for recording local talent!

If you cannot donate financially, but would still like to support us, please share the campaign on social media and tag @Calliopod !

Please, tell your friends and family! The more people we reach, the more we hope to inspire. 

Also, don’t forget to come to our events and share your unpublished poetry with us! We would love to feature you on our podcast. Subscribe to our show on Spotify or whatever platform you listen on!