About

“Vox Populi is basically a personal blog that seems to have swallowed a small planet.” — Doug Anderson

Vox Populi, founded in April 2014, is a community of writers, artists, teachers and activists who share a vision of what American life is and what it could be. By exposing problems and proposing solutions, we are part of a growing movement in America that believes in environmental responsibility, empowerment of the disadvantaged, peaceful co-existence, and reform of the corrupt institutions that put the short term interests of the few over the long term needs of the many. These topics, which are interdependent, are explored through poetry, journalism, personal essays, videos, music, and visual art that display a love of craft and a dedication to truth. In short, we look for the poetry in everything.

The opinions expressed in Vox Populi are those of the individual contributors.

All texts, videos, photographs, and works of art appear in Vox Populi with permission of the rights holders or under “Fair Use” provisions of United States and international copyright law. All individual articles, poems, videos, content and other elements comprising our site are copyrighted works (except where otherwise noted), and we (subject to the rights of our licensors and licensees under applicable agreements, understandings and arrangements) retain all rights therein.

We will never share your email address or other information about you with anyone. Ever.

This website is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical or legal advice.

Founders, Editors, and Contributors

“Michael Simms is a river to his people.” — D.W. Fenza

Born and raised in Texas, Michael Simms has worked as a squire and armorer to a Hungarian fencing master, a stable hand, a gardener, a forager, an estate agent, a college teacher, an editor, a publisher, a technical writer, a lexicographer, a political organizer, and a literary impresario. He identifies as being on the spectrum and as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse who didn’t speak until he was five years old. He is the author of four full-length collections of poetry, most recently American Ash, Nightjar and Strange Meadowlark, three novels, including Bicycles of the Gods, as well as four chapbooks and a textbook about poetry, and his poems have appeared in Poetry (Chicago), Plume, and Poem-a-Day published by The Academy of American Poets. As the founding editor of Autumn House Press, he was recognized in 2011 by the Pennsylvania State Legislature for his contribution to the arts. Simms and his wife Eva live in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Mount Washington overlooking the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. Click here to see Michael Simms’s website.

Dr. Nisha Gupta, co-founder, earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Duquesne University. Her research is focused on psychopolitics: the psychological impact of worldwide social injustices. She explores the use of art and social media as interventions to foster societal empathy and bridge differences.

Contributing Editors: Doug Anderson, Joan E. Bauer, Kathy Engel, David Huddle, Derrick Z. Jackson, Kathryn Levy, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mel Packer, Eva-Maria Simms, Nicholas Simms, Sandy Solomon, Philip Terman, Arlene Weiner

Website designer: Joseph Carreno

Regular Contributors: Doug Anderson, W.J. Astore, Robert Lee Baily, Joan E. Bauer, Peter Blair, Adrian Blevins, Chana Bloch, Deborah Bogen, Ace Boggess, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Daniel Burston, Noam Chomsky, Paul Christensen, Angele Ellis, Daniel R. Cobb, Kate Daniels, Chard De Niord, Yana Djin, Stephen Dobyns, Tom Engelhardt, Molly Fisk, Deirdre Fulton, Vanessa German, Andrea Germanos, Michael Greger MD, Nisha Gupta, Rachel Hadas, Barbara Hamby, Sam Hamill, Chris Hedges, David Huddle, Marc Jampole, Kogonada, Gail Langstroth, Sarah Lazare, Djelloul Marbrook, Lauren McCauley, Leslie McGrath, George Monbiot, Bill Moyers, Majid Naficy, Tashi Nyima, Naomi Shihab Nye, Patricia A. Nugent, Robert Okaji, Mel Packer, Jose Padua, Andy Piascik, Dawn Potter, Nadia Prupis, Robert Reich, Boris Seewald, Eva-Maria Simms, Michael Simms, Ellen McGrath Smith, Rebecca Solnit, Sandy Solomon, Kareem Tayyar, Kate Tempest, Philip Terman, John Samuel Tieman, Clifford Thompson, George Yancy, Michael T. Young, Tony Zhou, Andrena Zawinski, Abby Zimet.

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