On Turning No's into New Doors with Writer and Poet Khalisa Rae

“Take the seeds you find in the Durham soil and go plant it where you are. That’s literally why we started—it was so that people could get rejuvenated and inspired by the beauty of Durham in the triangle.”— Khalisa RaeIn this episode of the Durham Artist Archive, I sit with Khalisa Rae, an award-winning artist, writer, educator, and curator whose work moves with both rigor and tenderness. Khalisa Rae let us into her story of an artistic childhood in Gary, Indiana, through musical theater, and into the hard-won voice that shaped her poetry book Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat. Throughout our convo, she talks openly about higher education, adversity she faced, and her experience of being a poet in the South. Time and time again her story shows the power of trusting an ordained path and how community kept showing up as both anchor and engine.We also dig into what it means to create spaces built on purpose like her cofounding of The Griot and Grey Owl Writers Conference. These, among her other projects make a strong case for the value of collective practice over isolation. Khalisa Rae has the kind of resilience that turns a no into a new door and I can’t wait for you to listen in. Enjoy. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in:* Practical guidance on practice, resilience, and moving through rejection* Creating inclusive literary spaces and running artist-centered programs* What it looks like to serve a community through arts leadershipWant to attend the Griot & Grey Owl Writers Conference?As a special thank you to Durham Artist Archive listeners, Khalisa Rae and I would like to share a discount code for the conference coming up on November 7-9th 2025! Whether you’d just like to attend my session (Lunch Time Pizza & Podcast Pull-up), or want the full All-Access VIP experience to connect with writers from across the South, use this code for a discount on your ticket.And remember- the Friday Opening Ceremony and the book fair is completely free! This is a family friendly event that writers and book lovers alike will love. Come hang out with us!Discount code: GROUPGRIOT25Link to event pageRelated EpisodesSupport the Podcast🎙️ Love what you’re hearing? The best way to support the Durham Artist Archive is by liking or rating the podcast on your favorite platform—it helps more people discover Durham’s creatives. And if you’d like to go deeper with Durham-focused art writing and podcast reflections, follow us on Substack. Paid subscribers get exclusive perks like a mailed zine, a credit in the show notes, and a shout out in our season finale for helping preserve these voices.👉 Join as a paid supporter today and keep these stories alive: [Subscribe Here]Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyRead on Substack🫱🏾‍🫲🏼 Connect with Khalisa Rae:khalisarae.comhttps://www.instagram.com/khalisarae/https://griotandgreyowl.orghttps://www.instagram.com/griotandgrey/👋🏽 Connect with me, Alyssa Cuffie Onuoha:https://www.instagram.com/alwhyssa.artlab/alyssacuffie.com☕️ Support the Pod:https://ko-fi.com/alwhyssa✏️ Additional Details:Recorded at Queeny’s in Durham, North Carolina Get full access to The Durham Artist Archive at durhamartistarchive.substack.com/subscribe