For Shelly Conley, poetry isn’t just an art form—it’s a journey of self-expression, healing, and advocacy. She first found her love for writing in middle school, inspired by her mother’s writings and passion for reading and her own journey as a young adult. Since then, she has been sharing her voice for more than 20 years.

“I didn’t foresee poetry being all of what it is now, but it was always in me,” Conley said, reflecting on her passion.

As tthe world shut down during Covid, so did people. With challenges and issues already at an all time high in our communities, this forced us to deal with the truth. As restrictions were lifted, we came together to be reminded that we all matter and that it's OK to let go.