The Haiku Festival is deeply grateful for the contributions from each of our donors, sponsors, and judges. Their generous efforts and donations make it possible for us to provide Chicago-area children an opportunity to experience the wonderful world of poetry.

Precious gifts our sponsors provide help us develop our workshops and create opportunities previously unavailable to local children and adult poets.
Continued support from individuals, businesses, foundations, and other organizations profoundly impacts Haiku Festival participants.

Thank you for helping us enrich and strengthen aspiring poets, families and the community-at-large.

–Regina Harris Baiocchi
Founder, Haiku Festival


Honor Roll of Judges

We gratefully acknowledge the following judges who gave their time, talent and treasures to support the Haiku Festival:

Carolyn Aguila
poet, author of Flirting with Rhyme
-2006 to 2008

Marilyn Allen
writer, healthcare administrator
-since 2004

Samuel Barbour
Economics professor, poet, author
-since 2017

Marlon Billups
poet, Pres. Chicago Writers’ Collective
-2004 to 2006, 2011

Judith Bowden
poet, retired CPS teacher
-since 2013

Dan Godston
poet, educator
-2008, 2009

Dr. Wayne Allen Jones
poet, publisher, therapist
-since 2008

Katriél
author of Night Fall, VP
Chicago Writers’ Collective
-since 2006

Nilsa Lopezlena
poet, retired bilingual CPS teacher
-since 2020

Renée K. Moore
poet, educator
Cave Canem Alumna
-since 2004

Dr. Elma Photikarm
poet, publisher:
Poems of the World
-2013

Nichole L. Shields
poet, author, One Less Road to Travel
-2005

Laurie ShoulterKarall
poet, author of Catch, flash fiction
-since 2022 ”

Sidney Simmons
writer, photographer, master chef
-2007 to 2009

Valerie Wallace
poet, author
Dictators’ Guide to Good Housekeeping
House of McQueen (2018) -2004 to 2014

Michael Covenant Watson
poet, host of Wordslingers WLUW, 88.7 FM
-since 2006

Dr. Stephen T. Ziliak
Prof. of Economics, author, poet
-since 2016