Kondwani Fidel is a poet and essayist who has toured in the United Kingdom and lectured and taught classes at the University of East London. He has also lectured and shared poetry at countless universities, conferences, and literary events across America. Fidel has been featured in The Washington Post, Mic, CNN, and elsewhere, and has made television appearances on RT America. He has been published in The Root, The Afro, and City Paper. The Baltimore Sun honored Fidel in the 2018 issue of ‘Best of Baltimore’ as a change maker who is working to improve the Baltimore area with his courage, innovative thinking, and leadership. Fidel is a M.F.A. Candidate at the University of Baltimore, concentrating on Creative Writing and Publishing Arts. He is from, and currently lives in, Baltimore, Maryland. He is also the author of Raw Wounds, and the founder of ‘READ’, a clothing company whose mission is to promote literacy.

About Hummingbirds in Trenches

“Every time I feel a hint of emptiness, I fill it with hope.” In Hummingbirds in The Trenches, Kondwani Fidel digests the circumstances of every day living in Baltimore. His honest recollection of growing up in his city–one plagued by poverty, inadequate schools, and violent murders–is a must read till the end. Fidel skillfully guides readers down a narrow line–his vulnerability on one side, his deafening power on the other. In the end, Fidel emerges a victor–overtly aware of the ironclad, historical systemic racism that continues to confine his community, yet still a hopeful, suggestive voice with a strong belief in change. His essays will make you cry tears of anger, but also tears of light-hearted laughter.
— Stephanie Wash, Emmy Award Winning Producer and ABC News Journalist