William T. Langford IV

William T. Langford IV, AKA Will “The Poet” Langford, is a community-engaged teaching artist and Fulbright ETA Alumnus (Kenya). He divides his energy between education and community development projects in Michigan, the U.S, and East Africa—alongside the Children & Youth Empowerment Center in Nyeri, Kenya. Will is also a visual artist—drawing inspiration from Detroit’s vibrant community of mural artists.  

Will Langford is the 2017 Motown Mic Spoken Word Artist of the Year. As a performance artist, Langford’s poetry has garnered “Best of Show” in the American Advertising Awards, a Michigan Emmy Award, and the 2021 Mark Ritzenhein Emerging Poet Award, sponsored by the Lansing Poetry Club.

Langford’s art has appeared in or is forthcoming from: The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook, Ilanot Review, Work/6, Falling Hard, 2 Bridges Review, and Finishing Line Press—home to Langford's first chapbook, "Detroit: Workers, Teachers, Lovers" (June 2022).