Marlana-Patrice Pugh Hamer (She/Her) is an award-winning poet, writer, performer, public speaker, educator, and volunteer/activist. She has a BA in English. Also, an MEd in Curriculum & Instruction. Her poetry and nonfiction have appeared in various anthologies. Most recently, Poems in Praise of Libraries (World Stage Press, 2024). Also, Dimepiece: Ten Years of CLI Poetry (World Stage Press, 2023). Her debut poetry collection is Taking Off My Black & White Saddle Shoes: Cleveland Poems. It is a memoir in verse spanning from her birth to the present (World Stage Press, 2024). worldstagepress.org.

Marlana-Patrice is a veteran English and reading teacher who has taught on many levels, including teaching Freshman Composition at Purdue University. Both a lifelong teacher and a lifelong learner, she is currently a Teaching Assistant with Community Literature Initiative (CLI). communitylit.org.

A native Clevelander, Marlana-Patrice caught the open mic bug before taking an early retirement and relocating to the Phoenix Metro area in Arizona. She performs as "Marlana-Patrice." Currently, her main career goals are to read more and to write more daily. Also to perform more. To date, one of her most memorable open mics was performing at the iconic Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center during a Los Angeles Poet Society event. She is also recognized as one of the top Spoken Word Performers in Arizona.

Marlana-Patrice is a proud member of various poetry and writing organizations as well as groups, including The Langston Hughes Society, The Haiku Society of America, the Poetry Society of America, and the Arizona State Poetry Society. 

She also has a variety of other interests including photography, walking, hiking, yoga, decorating, cooking, and gardening. Additionally, she enjoys volunteering for groups like Mission for Arizona and Save Our Schools Arizona. She is a Project Humanities 101 Founder (ASU) who helps fund diverse programs including a monthly homeless outreach and the annual Hacks for Humanity.