Maria Barbu is an intersectional, confessional, feminist poet. Maria is also a challenger of the status quo and a believer in working together toward a common, sustainable good. Above all, Maria is a life-long learner in constant search of meaningful, socially-innovative opportunities to engage with youth. Thus, Maria often draws upon personal experiences to explore such themes as suffering, solitude, self-love and mindfulness throughout her poetry. Overall, she works with poetry as a medium to discover her ever-evolving self, her place in this universe and to bring voice to the beauty & pain in life. When Maria isn’t writing poetry, she is working steadily towards the completion of her Bachelor of Commerce, while devoting time to youth through her involvement on the Board of iHuman Youth Society, an Edmontonian organization that engages at-risk youth with the arts, and as a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters.