The Sims Library of Poetry took center stage on Friday, Dec. 6, hosting the Words Worth Saving Fundraising Kick-Off Gala at its home on 2702 W. Florence Avenue in Los Angeles. The event united community members, artists, and supporters for an evening dedicated to preserving a vital cultural space.
Featuring captivating performances by poets, a gourmet dinner prepared by award-winning Chef Recco, and an atmosphere packed with creativity, the gala aimed to raise essential funds to purchase the library’s building and secure its future as a permanent home for poetry.
Hiram Sims, poet, author, and founder of the Community Literature Initiative (CLI), leads the library with a vision of empowering and equipping writers.
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“CLI students created this library; it is a community space, a home for poetry,” Sims shared passionately during the event.
Established through the collective efforts of CLI students, the library now houses one of the largest poetry collections on the West Coast, with over 10,000 volumes on its shelves. From hosting open mics and book launches to panel discussions and workshops, the library serves as a vibrant hub for poets in South Los Angeles.
A cornerstone of this community is the CLI Poetry Publishing Class, a program that prepares seasoned poets with the tools to complete and publish their manuscripts. This initiative has helped produce works by some of Los Angeles’ most celebrated voices, such as Camari Carter’s “Death by Comb,” Lucas Rivera’s “My AfroRican Stage of Soul,” Tommy Domino’s “Switches, Hot Wheel Tracks & Extension Cords,” and Aiyana Shan’neil’s “Little Black Poetry Book.”
The gala highlighted the library’s ongoing mission to provide a sanctuary for poetry and connection while underscoring the urgency of securing its future. As attendees celebrated the library’s impact, they were reminded of the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving spaces like the Sims Library of Poetry, whose motto is “Poetry Lives Here.”
To support this effort and ensure poetry continues to thrive in South Los Angeles, visit communitylit.org.
