LaLa Bolander is an artist and storyteller who uses poetry to illuminate the intricate relationships between humans and the worlds around + between us. LaLa is an alumna of Kuumba Lynx Performance Ensemble and the University of Wisconsin-Madison First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts program, where she first got her footing as a multidisciplinary artist and director. She has written and presented several collaborative productions, including SPILL at the Line Breaks Hip Hop Festival in Madison, WI, and CORE at the Inaugural Chicago Hip Hop Theater Festival in Uptown. Most recently, she co-wrote and co-directed “Welcome Home with Nico Segal” which launched the 2023 Summer LookOut Series at Stepperwolf Theater in Chicago. When she is not writing, Lala is co-creating imaginary worlds with her daughter, Ollin.