Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram: Where Poetry Becomes Legacy

NATIONWIDE - SEPTEMBER 2025 - (USAnews.com) In a quiet room filled with books and soft light, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram adjusts his microphone. The retired professor and acclaimed poet transforms academia into an acclaimed poetry platform, inviting voices from around the world to speak truth, beauty, and resilience. His podcast, Quintessential Poetry, is more than a show, it’s a sanctuary.

Poetry as Transformation

Dr. Ingram’s journey began in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he earned a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Cincinnati. In 1997, he joined the faculty at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, where he taught and supervised master’s and doctoral students in the College of Education’s Counselor Education and Supervision program. During his tenure, he became the first African American in the college’s 110-year history to be tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, a milestone that reflects both his academic excellence and his commitment to equity in education.

In 2010, Dr. Ingram relocated to Washington, D.C., bringing with him a deep commitment to mental health advocacy, community building, and the healing power of poetry. One of the driving forces behind creating the Quintessential Poetry podcast was to continue Dr. Ingram’s lifelong commitment to fostering empathy through poetry. The podcast serves as a living extension of his scholarship and advocacy, offering a platform where diverse poetic voices can connect, resonate, and inspire deeper understanding. Empathy is truly the bedrock of his work as the podcast’s host, shaping every conversation and spotlight with warmth and insight.

A Poet’s Voice

Dr. Ingram is not only a curator of poetic voices, he is an internationally recognized poet whose own work explores themes of resilience, identity, and emotional truth. His writing blends lyrical depth with social consciousness, drawing from lived experience and global perspective. His performances are more than a reading, they are an earthquake of emotion at the highest caliber, shaking the room with raw power and vulnerability.

Recognition and Rising Influence

With over 500 episodes featuring guests from across North America, including Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, as well as Asia, Europe, and Africa, Quintessential Poetry amplifies voices that cross continents, turning each episode into a celebration of our shared humanity.    The podcast has earned multiple award nominations, including the People’s Choice Podcast Awards, the Black Podcast Awards, the Signal Awards, and the Awards for Excellence in Audio (The Ambies). Each episode reflects Dr. Ingram’s belief that poetry is a lived experience, a way to share who we are and how we see the world.

His September 2025 feature in the Sailors Review journal highlighted his unique approach to podcasting, where each episode becomes an exploration of the realms of mind, heart, and soul. His work has also earned him a Pushcart Prize nomination in poetry, validating his dual role as both podcast host and poet.

The DC Poetry Project 

Beyond podcasting, Dr. Ingram serves as Founder and Executive Director of the DC Poetry Project, Inc., a Washington, D.C.–based organization dedicated to promoting awareness of societal, cultural, educational, and mental health issues through poetry and performance art. This work demonstrates his commitment to using poetry as a vehicle for social change, a philosophy that permeates every aspect of Quintessential Poetry.

The organization focuses on fostering partnerships, strengthening communities, and encouraging volunteer support through poetic and artistic endeavors. This community-centered approach reflects Dr. Ingram’s understanding that poetry’s true power lies not in individual expression alone, but in its ability to create connections and inspire collective action.

Poetry as Transformation

Dr. Ingram's poetry explores themes of power, identity, and oppression, drawing from extensive travels and experiences delivering lectures and workshops on cultural competence, mental health awareness, and empathy development through poetry. His approach views poetry as more than artistic expression, it’s a tool for understanding, healing, and social transformation.

His eagerly anticipated second collection, Metaphorically Screaming, builds on this foundation, offering a deeper exploration of themes driving both his personal work and podcast. The title suggests the urgent, often unheard voices poetry can amplify, a concept central to Quintessential Poetry's mission.

Expanding Horizons

The success of Quintessential Poetry has paved the way for new ventures, including the upcoming podcast series Let Poetry Ring Conversations. This expansion reflects Dr. Ingram’s commitment to continuous growth and his recognition that the poetry community’s needs continue to evolve. The motto “Let Poetry Ring” encapsulates his vision of poetry as a clarion call—clear, purposeful, and impossible to ignore.

The Quintessential Difference

What distinguishes Quintessential Poetry in the crowded podcast landscape is Dr. Ingram’s What distinguishes Quintessential Poetry in the crowded podcast landscape is Dr. Ingram’s unique blend of academic rigor, activist sensibility, and genuine appreciation for the craft. His counselor education background brings therapeutic insight to conversations about poetry’s emotional impact, while his social change activism keeps discussions grounded in real-world relevance.

The podcast’s commitment to showcasing diverse voices with high production values has created a loyal global audience. Each episode reflects Dr. Ingram’s belief that poetry is a lived experience, not something studied from a distance, but felt, shared, and used as a catalyst for connection and change.

For poets seeking a platform honoring both craft and experience, and listeners hungry for authentic conversations about art’s role in society, Quintessential Poetry offers something genuinely transformative. Dr. Ingram has created more than a podcast; he has built a community, and contributed his own poetic voice. His work reminds us that poetry is not just something to listen to, but something to live.

Legacy in Motion

Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram is the creator and host of Quintessential Poetry, a widely acclaimed poetry podcast nominated for two 2025 People’s Choice Podcast Awards. A retired associate professor, social justice activist, and acclaimed poet, Dr. Ingram also serves as Founder and Executive Director of the DC Poetry Project, Inc. His work can be found on RSS platforms, and YouTube. His much-awaited second poetry collection, Metaphorically Screaming, is nearing release.