THORNTON, CO (April 27, 2024) — Elena Guerrero Townsend, local poet and member of the Brighton Cultural Arts Commission, took first place in a poetry slam sponsored by Anythink Library on April 27, 2024.

Hosted by Adams County Poet Laureate Kerrie Joy, the contest was held in honor of National Poetry Month. It was a magical day full of music, food, and powerful poetry. Contestants came from all around the area to read their original poems for a cheering audience of poetry lovers at the Anythink Wright Farms location in Thornton, CO. Each poet had three minutes to read and could not use props of any kind.

The top three contestants took home prizes, and as the first-place winner, Elena received a $250 gift card.

“I loved how Kerrie Joy and Anythink Library put this event together with music and food,” said Elena. “It created such a positive atmosphere. I hope to do this again.”

Elena was also the 2023 winner of Brighton’s Excellence in Arts Award, in the Literary Arts category, for her poetry and short stories.

Elena has been published in two anthologies: Brighton Writers Group’s Gardens and Jungles (available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0320f0t0) and the Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors’ Ramas y Raices (also available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/04MntQ0j).

She is currently working on a book entitled Rocky Ford Blues. You can find her reading her poetry at events around the great Denver area.