Poetically Speaking

Poetically Speaking, a mini poetic visual series produced and directed by Buffalo Poet Laureate Aitina Fareed-Cooke (founder of Get Fokus’d Productions), will host a special screening event on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 5:30–7:30 PM at the Burchfield Penney Art Center as apart of M&T's Second Friday. 

The collaborative series features cinematography by Alex Rojé Felix (Earthbound Films) and Luqman Muhammad (22Reform), with photography by Kalvin Booker (Through His Lens Photography). This exclusive event brings Buffalo’s vibrant literary scene to the big screen, featuring a collection of visual poetry pieces and interviews with local writers who are shaping the city’s creative landscape. Audiences will experience the artistry of Buffalo’s poets through moving visuals, intimate storytelling, and reflections on heritage, identity, and community.

Following the screening, Aitina Fareed-Cooke will moderate a panel discussion with a selection of featured poets, offering deeper insight into their creative journeys and the inspiration behind Poetically Speaking. The conversation will explore how poetry, visual media, and community engagement intersect to amplify Buffalo’s past and present voices. Poetically Speaking shines a spotlight on Buffalo’s evolving literary legacy with the aim

Aitina Fareed-Cooke is the founder of Get Fokus’d Productions (GFP), an award-winning international recording artist (A.I. The Anomaly), speaker, and creative educator who serves as the Mayor-appointed Poet Laureate of Buffalo, NY. As a Creative Arts Strategist, she blends artistry and strategy to help communities and organizations use storytelling to shift narratives, challenge stereotypes, and build resilience.

Under her leadership, GFP has grown into a Buffalo-rooted digital storytelling and literary arts firm supporting early-career creatives through mentorship, real-world training, and collaboration, while partnering with mission-driven organizations to create authentic, human-first work across writing, filmmaking, photography, and digital media.

With 20+ years of experience, Aitina has impacted 20,000+ emerging creatives, raised over half a million dollars for community arts programs, and contributed as a songwriter to a Grammy-winning album. Having grown up in foster care, she found freedom through creative arts engagement and now helps others do the same.