The Line Between Vulnerability and Performance

2026

Jan 13

Featured

is a South Asian American bestselling author, spoken word poet, and licensed therapist based in Long Beach, California. She is the author of YELLOW, a full-length collection of poetry and prose published by World Stage Press, which was named Best Poetry Collection of 2021 by Long Beach Post. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Ravina has performed her work on nationally and internationally acclaimed stages, including the House of Blues and the United Nations. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and a touring artist with the spoken word collective Never Speak Long Beach. Ravina’s work has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Voyage LA, SHOUTOUT Atlanta, Livewire, and the Los Angeles Sentinel. She teaches poetry and publishing through the University of Southern California and the Community Literature Initiative and is the founder of “Writing as Healing,” a bimonthly workshop and open mic exploring the intersections of creativity and mental health. Ravina is a co-host of The Poetry Lab Podcast.

Find her at @ravina.340 | 🎧 Listen to The Poetry Lab Podcast

Hey poet!

What does it mean to fully step into a poem, on the page and on the stage?

In this episode, we explore:

vulnerability and spoken word performance
the courage it takes to share your work
how embodiment can deepen a poem’s emotional impact

Are you ready poet? Let’s get into it.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

📔 The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

📔 Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative by Austin Kleon

MORE EPISODES WITH RAVINA

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The Line Between Vulnerability and Performance

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EPISODE 56 | What does it mean to fully step into a poem, on the page and on the stage?

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Building Brave Spaces in Community

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EPISODE 53 | Learn how facing imposter syndrome helped forge a path to creating brave spaces.

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INSPIRATION 101, RAVINA WADHWANI

The First Time I Forgot My Poem on Stage

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EPISODE 50 | Ever blanked on stage? Ravina has—in front of her entire high school.

INSPIRATION 101, RAVINA WADHWANI

How Not to Be Your Own Worst Enemy

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EPISODE 46 | Introducing new host Ravina Wadhwani facing the struggle of impostor syndrome, self-sabotage, and the pressure to succeed even when we’ve already achieved so much.

INSPIRATION 101, RAVINA WADHWANI