René Otero

FREE VERSE is back. 🖤❤️💚 Join us Saturday, June 20th at 8PM for a Juneteenth Open Mic & Afterparty with every.Word Poetry at The VORTEX (@vortex_rep ). A night of poetry, music, celebration, liberation, and community. Hosted by Tender René (@millieux ) Sounds by DJ Jo (@itsdjjo ) Afterparty until 12:30AM in the Butterfly Bar (@butterfly_bar_atx ) Bring your poems. Bring your people. Bring your full self. 🎤 Performer sign up at the box office (Prioritizing Black voices on the mic) 🎟️ Sliding scale tickets: $15 / $29 / $39 📍The VORTEX — 2307 Manor Rd. 🍝 Food + drinks available from Patrizi’s & Butterfly Bar 💙 Fuse The World (@fuse.theworld ) Sponsored by The VORTEX. every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House (@3220poetlane ). The Poet House is a fiscally sponsored project of the Austin Creative Alliance (@austincreativea ). #poetry #atx #atxlife #openmic #poetrycommunity

Join Red Light Lit Austin for an evening exploring love, relationships, sensuality, and gender. Our April show, “Let Me Kiss You Hard In the Pouring Rain” features poetry, prose, music, comedy, and burlesque. With a full cast and 3 open mic slots (first come first serve!) TOMORROW, Sunday 4/26 7pm @somethingcoolstudios . Join us in welcoming featured poet @millieux 🌹 René Otero is a dynamic fixture in Austin, Texas nightlife. Growing up and being educated in the city, he was exposed to the arts. He has been mentored by a performance artist, has been a political speaker since high school, and teaches performance to middle and high school students. He blends ballroom, church, and bartender cultures to create transportive writings—all to honor the virtue he holds dearest: hosting. Sliding scale tickets $10-$20. No one turned away for lack of funds. Find free street parking just around the corner from Something Cool Studios and meet us in the Red Light ❤️‍🔥 It’s lit 🔥 This project is supported in part by an Elevate Grant of Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. #trueaustin #do512 #wwwatx #austinpoetry

Calling all the Girls, Gays, and Theys!🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️✨ Step into a night where poetry and possibility collide. every.Word Poetry presents our Girls, Gays & Theys Open Mic, centering LGBTQIA+ voices. Hosted by Tender René (@millieux )🌟 In partnership with PrideinBlackATX (@prideinblackatx ) 🖤✨ 🗓 April 20, 2026 ⏰ 8-10 PM 📍 The VORTEX, Austin TX (@vortex_rep ) 🎤 Performers sign up online via Eventbrite 🍝 Food by Patrizi’s 🍸 Drinks at Butterfly Bar (@butterfly_bar_atx ) A sanctuary for words. A catalyst for change. The Monday night open mic is made possible through The VORTEX’s (@vortex_rep ) partnership. every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House (@3220poetlane ). The Poet House is a sponsored project of the Austin Creative Alliance (@austincreativea ). #atx #openmic #poetry #spokenword #atxlife

Best week of the year and we’re just two months in!

After Lines for Liberation, celebrate at our open mic! every.Word Poetry is at The VORTEX (@vortex_rep ) and we’re taking y’all out of this world. 🌟✨ 🗓 Monday, March 2, 2026 ⏰ 8 PM 📍 The VORTEX | 2307 Manor Rd | ATX Hosted by the incomparable Tender René (@millieux ) Featuring Poetry Teacher (@iampoetryteacher ) Reagan Martin aka PoetryTeacher is a poet, writer and multimedia artist based in Texas. She is the creator of Words Are Food™️ clothing line, a recurring poetry slam finalist and educator whose work blends black womanhood, motherhood, black love and its discourse in personal storytelling. Performer sign-ups are online. Early arrival encouraged. Food. Drinks. Poetry. Music. Community. Presented by The Poet House in partnership with The VORTEX. Tag the poet you’re pulling up with 👇🏾 #poetry #openmic #atx #atxlife #spokenword

On the morning of MLK Day, Tender René (@millieux ), Ms. Trin-I-Tee (@ms.trinitee ), and Jasmine Games (@jasminegamespoetry ) of every.Word Poetry had the honor of sharing poetry in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy at the Cedar Park MLK Jr. Celebration (@cedarparkparks ). We were deeply moved by the powerful words and performances shared by youth, City of Cedar Park representatives, dancers, musicians, and community members throughout the morning. And in a beautiful full-circle moment, Jasmine even won the raffle for the live painting of Dr. King by Xavier Alvarado (@xavieralvarad0 ) Thank you for inviting us into such a meaningful community celebration. ✨ #poetry #mlk #cedarpark #atx #poetrylovers

“Salvation Is an Ocean Made of Syrup,” Pt. 2 by Tender René (@millieux ), performed as a featured poet in The Blasphemy of a Good Bath, written by Michael Hatcher (@mikekpz_poetry ) and staged at The VORTEX (@vortex_rep ) on the Eloise Stage. 🖤✨ Save the date: Our next spoken word poetry showcase, Lines for Liberation, returns for Black History Month from February 26th to March 1st. Join us for powerful Black storytelling, poetry, and performance in Austin, Texas. Bring a friend, share the love, and tap into the magic of community. 🌟✨ Organized by The Poet House Team (@3220poetlane ) in partnership with The VORTEX. every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House. Learn more at 🏡🤎✨ 📸: @magicspoonproductions #spokenword #austinpoetry #blackpoets #atxevents #poetrycommunity

“Salvation Is an Ocean Made of Syrup,” Pt. 1 by Tender René (@millieux ), performed as a featured poet in The Blasphemy of a Good Bath, written by Michael Hatcher (@mikekpz_poetry ) and staged at The VORTEX (@vortex_rep ) on the Eloise Stage. 🖤✨ Save the date: Our next spoken word poetry showcase, Lines for Liberation, returns for Black History Month from February 26th to March 1st. Join us for powerful Black storytelling, poetry, and performance in Austin, Texas. Bring a friend, share the love, and tap into the magic of community. 🌟✨ Organized by The Poet House Team (@3220poetlane ) in partnership with The VORTEX. every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House. Learn more at 🏡🤎✨ 📸: @magicspoonproductions #spokenword #austinpoetry #blackpoets #atxevents #poetrycommunity

That’s all folks! (Blue edition) As the Blasphemy of Good Bath by @mikekpz_poetry closes tonight, I have to say thank you to the community for supporting me through my first show. A powerful cast of characters were responsible for giving me this opportunity, namely @jasminegamespoetry and Micheal Hatcher. And a very special few molded me into a performer—thank you @doc.evamargarita Photography: Errich Peterson @errichp Videography: Jose Lozano, Magic spoon productions @magicspoonproductions

Just a show of gratitude for the doors that have opened in my new journey of creative discovery and sobriety. I love my friends and my newfound community of artists. Photos by @fernie.c31

“80 to 18” by Tender René (@millieux ) 🖤✨ Join us for the every.Word Poetry Open Mic at The VORTEX (@vortex_rep ) every Monday from 8-10 pm! Enjoy drinks from Butterfly Bar (@butterfly_bar_atx ) and food from Patrizi’s (patrizisaustin) on the VORTEX compound. RSVP through the link in our bio, and sign up online to perform as a poet or musician. 🎤✨ Organized by The Poet House Team (@3220poetlane ). every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House. The Poet House is a sponsored project of the Austin Creative Alliance (@austincreativea ). #poetry #poetrylovers #atx #atxlife #atxopenmic #openmic #everywordpoetry #slam #slampoetry #spokenword #theatre #typ #explore #reading #bookstagram #poetryreading #poetrycommunity #buttonpoetry #poetryoutloud #everywordpoetry #music #rap #rnb #poetryslam

I come with a message for you. If you want to hear it, join me at the @everywordpoetry production of Blasphemy of a Good Bath. October 23-25 @vortex_rep @jcees.film