BIO

Ashley Lumpkin is a Georgia-raised, Carolina-based writer, editor, performance artist, and educator. She is the author of five poetry collections: {} At First Sight, Second Glance, Terrorism and Other Topics for Tea, #AshleyLumpkin, and Genesis. Her book "I Hate You All Equally.", is a collection of conversations from her years as a classroom teacher. Her work has appeared in Kinfolks Quarterly, Our Rhythm, Our Blues, and A host of other journals; she has also been featured on Button Poetry and Write About Now.  A lover of poetry slam as well as the written word, she has been a competing member of the Bull City Slam Team since 2015 and currently serves as its coach. 

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Ashley’s work dives bravely into themes of identity, family, social justice, and grief– grounded in the deep belief that sharing our stories is the first step in bettering our world. Her hybrid-memoir The Sad Stays (2024, Scuppernong Editions) is a candid look at her ongoing journey with mental health.

Above all else, Ashley is a teacher, poet, and witness. She is a lover of mathematics and language. She loves you too. 

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