Modern Warrior EXPERIENCE
Featuring US Military Veteran Miko Reed + Guests
Modern Warrior EXPERIENCE
Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 (Langston Room)
Building on this powerful foundation of Modern Warrior LIVE, Modern Warrior EXPERIENCE invites local veterans to step into the storytelling process themselves. Guided by the Modern Warrior artistic team led by acclaimed musician Dominic Farinacci, participants explore and share their own journeys of adversity and resilience, transforming lived experiences into stories brought to life through music. The culmination is an intimate and deeply moving live performance by U.S. Army veteran Miko Reed Collins and Mars Arts D.C. musician Akua Allrich. These new voices and powerful narratives are woven into the signature Modern Warrior format, creating space for connection, healing, and shared humanity.
Modern Warrior LIVE was created by Farinacci and U.S. Army combat veteran Jaymes Poling, and has grown into a nationally recognized production that blends powerful storytelling, live music, and immersive visuals to explore resilience in the aftermath of trauma. The show unites a deeply moving musical performance with the harrowing story of Poling’s time in combat and his deeply personal journey of returning home. Narrated by Poling himself and underscored by Farinacci and a genre-spanning ensemble of acclaimed artists, Modern Warrior LIVE speaks to the universal human capacity for healing, transformation, and hope.
Featured Artists & Storytellers
Dominick Farinacci
Musician & Co-Creator of Modern Warrior LIVE
Cleveland-born trumpeter Dominick Farinacci ranks among the most acclaimed artists of his generation. A protégé of Wynton Marsalis and Juilliard alum, he has recorded globally, led Jazz at Lincoln Center in Doha, and earned the Cleveland Arts Prize. He also directs the Tri-C JazzFest Academy, mentoring young artists with empathy and vision.
Jaymes Poling
US Military Veteran, Writer & Co-Creator of Modern Warrior LIVE
Jaymes Poling is a former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant who spent three years in Afghanistan as part of the elite 82nd Airborne Division. His combat service came with invisible wounds, leading him on a personal journey through the challenges of transition to civilian life. Through sharing his story, Jaymes sheds light on the human side of war and the resilience it takes to heal, grow, and find renewed purpose beyond the battlefield.
Miko Reed Collins
US Military Veteran & Writer
Miko Reed is a U.S. Army veteran, mentor, and advocate known for her leadership and commitment to community empowerment. After 24 years of service, she transitioned into youth mentorship, veteran support, and nonprofit work. Through public speaking and outreach, she uplifts underserved communities and remains a respected voice for resilience, integrity, and positive change.
Akua Allrich
Vocal
Akua Allrich is a dynamic Washington, D.C.–born vocalist known for her powerful voice and genre-blending style that weaves together jazz, soul, blues, and pan-African traditions. A Howard University graduate, she’s celebrated for her deeply expressive performances and acclaimed tributes to icons like Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba. Through her original music and reimagined classics, Allrich uses her art to inspire connection, healing, and social change.
Our Partners
Special thanks to the following lead supporters of Washington Performing Arts’s mission-driven work: Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mars, Incorporated; D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities; the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and Events DC.
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