SWWIM: Lesley Wheeler + Haya Pomrenze

An evening of contemporary poetry unfolds at The Betsy Hotel as SWWIM partners with Matwaala for a reading that brings together two literary communities marking a decade of work on Miami Beach. The program features visiting poet Lesley Wheeler, whose expansive body of work spans poetry, fiction and literary criticism, and local poet Haya Pomrenze, known for her vivid, narrative-driven verse and her innovative “Jewhitsu” poetic form.

Matwaala, founded to amplify diasporic South Asian voices within the American literary landscape, joins SWWIM as both organizations celebrate ten years of championing poets and cultivating dialogue. The reading highlights this shared commitment, offering an evening shaped by distinct perspectives, imaginative craft and a sense of communal exchange.

This event takes place Thursday, December 11 at The Betsy Hotel on Miami Beach. Presented in partnership with SWWIM, Matwaala and The Betsy, with support from the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation’s CreARTE Grant.