Whitney L Decker July's Slam Poetry Winner stands at the Microphone in a red dress performing her poem

August Slam Poetry Winner Spotlight

August 01, 2026•1 min read

Whitney Decker is a nurse practitioner, poet, and founder of Hippie Haven. She blends science, nature, and creativity to inspire healing and authentic living. Her writing explores themes of resilience, self-discovery, vulnerability, and the courage to reclaim one’s voice.

Drawing from both personal experience and her work supporting others through burnout and transformation, her poetry invites readers to embrace every part of the human experience. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her tending her homestead, creating herbal remedies, or chasing life’s “epic side quests”. This publication marks another step in her mission to help others reconnect with themselves through the power of storytelling.

Poem called Authenticity by Whitney Decker on an inspirational background picture with motivational statements

Mindy McVay

Mindy McVay, CEO / Founder of Midnight Garden Publishing House LLC is a local Kansas City, Mo poet, writer, garden lecturer, singer, mom, and wife. She comes from the Amarugia Highlands in Cass County and is a fourth generation farmer. Raised in a successful family electronic manufacturing company, Mindy excels at creative strategy, networking, and community organization. She loves collaborating with other small businesses in the Kansas City area. She has a passion for supporting authors, artists and small businesses.

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