Genre: Folk
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada

Naseem Bahraini is a 21-year-old Scorpio from British Columbia. In search of something to do during her senior year lunch breaks, her English teacher (you know, Ms. Maxwell?) pointed her to a slam poetry club. That was all it took.

Since then, all Naseem has done is win Hullabaloo during the Underground Indies. She weaves her love for slam and music together, channeling her fears and experiences to share with others. “It’s like therapy, except you get to tell your story without having to pay [anyone].”

Sticking with slam poetry has been easy for Naseem. The therapeutic aspect of writing aside, she finds that the sense of community among poets is huge—a mutual appreciation that can be hard to find in other circles.

Bio by Wiley Koepp