• Home
  • Runaway
  • Poetry
  • Literary Publications
  • CV
  • Selected Features
  • Art
  • Press
  • Awards

Imani is one of those rare beings who brings spirit, joy, genius and wisdom to her workshops, artwork, poetry and cultural gatherings.

To be in her presence, witness her works or read her poetry is to be blessed and inspired!



Dorothy Randall Gray, MSC, MDW and Executive Director

of Heartland Institute for Transformation



Featured visual artist &
lgbt artist shaping culture

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER HERITAGE MONTH CALENDAR & CULTURAL GUIDE, CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, 2025



Featured poet

Forever Fierce: Lesbian Writers Remembered, Curated by Women Writers & Artists Matrix, Los Angeles LGBT Center, 2025



Featured Visual Artist

African American Heritage Month Calendar & Cultural Guide, City Of Los Angeles Department Of Cultural Affairs, 2025



Featured Visual Artist

We Do Not Need Permission to Rise: LGBTQ+ Pride Poetry & Art Anthology, Beyond the Veil Press, 2025



librettist

Fire and Blue Sky. Composer, Joel Thompson. Librettist, Imani Tolliver. Tenor, Russell Thomas. Mezzo-Soprano, Deborah Nansteel. Conductor, Lina González-Granados. World Premiere, LA Opera’s 2023/24 Season, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 2024



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST & POET

BRAVER COLLECTIVE LGBTQ+ Survivor stories, 2024



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER HERITAGE MONTH CALENDAR & CULTURAL GUIDE, CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, 2024



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER HERITAGE MONTH CALENDAR & CULTURAL GUIDE, CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, 2024



BROADSIDE ILLUSTRATOR

RITES OF PASSAGE, CURATED BY DANIEL ALEXANDER JONES, UCLA NIMOY THEATER
2024



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST

AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH CALENDAR & CULTURAL GUIDE, CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
2024



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST & POET

BENEATH THE SOIL VOLUME II: QUEER SURVIVORS E-ZINE, TIME TO TELL PROJECT
2023



FEATURED POET & SPEAKER

ONE ARCHIVES FOUNDATION + QUEER BIENNIAL: HAND IN HAND WITH TRACI KATO-KIRIYAMA & IMANI TOLLIVER
2022



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST & POET

​QUEER DIASPORAS: LAVENDER CITY OF DREAMS, A VIRTUAL AND LIVE EXHIBITION
2022



FEATURED VISUAL ARTIST

SPECTRUM: SPRING FANTASY
2022



FEATURED POET

WEHO READS: SONGS AND SIGNS OF HOPE AND HEALING, CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA
2022



Visual Art Tutorial

LACMA Unframed: I See Myself In You. Personal Essay and
Self-Portrait tutorial
2021



FEATURED CHANGEMAKER

ONE ARCHIVES FOUNDATION QUEER BIENNIAL PRIDE PUBLICS: WORDS AND ACTIONS EXHIBITION
2021



FEATURED POET & SPEAKER

WE RISE 2021: LOVE LETTERS IN LIGHT DOCUMENTARY, ELECTRIC PARK FILMS
2021



POETRY & VISUAL ART WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

VIRTUAL POETRY AND CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
2021



POETRY & VISUAL ART WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WRITING GUILD
2021



FEATURED POET

LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
2018



CULTURAL & FINE ARTS SUPERVISOR
​
CITY OF BUENA PARK, CA
2007-2020



PANELIST & SPEAKER

I COME TO WITNESS: WRITERS AS THE CHILDREN OF AUDRE LORDE AND JAMES BALDWIN ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS & WRITING PROGRAMS CONFERENCE
2016



KEYNOTE SPEAKER

VOICE MUSIC FOR WHOLE LIVING:
PETER J. HARRIS & IMANI TOLLIVER
ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL CONFERENCE, METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL
2014



KEYNOTE SPEAKER

POETRY IS NOT A LUXURY: EXPLORING THE HEALING NATURE OF THE WRITTEN WORD ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL CONFERENCE, METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL
2013



KEYNOTE SPEAKER

LGBTQ+ PRIDE GRADUATION CEREMONY, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES
2011



POETRY WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES
2010



POETRY WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES
2009



PANELIST

QUEER TEXT(URES): READING AND WRITING LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY HISTORY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
2008



WEBSITE AND GRAPHIC DESIGN BY IMANI TOLLIVER
COPYRIGHT ©2025 IMANI TOLLIVER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.