Hayley DeRoche

Meet our Ember speaker, Hayley DeRoche: poet, humorist, and public librarian (and someone who knows that the quietest shelves often hold the most heat!).

She's the creator of the viral "Sad Beige" TikTok series (@officialsadbeige), covered by the BBC, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more, racking up half a million followers and setting conversations ablaze along the way.

But long before the algorithm noticed, Hayley was already doing what librarians and poets do best… tending the embers. Holding space for the stories that don't need to be loud to last. Her newest book, Dress Your Baby in Sage and Taupe, is exactly that: a warm glow of goodness.

April's theme is Ember. Join us as we unpack this global theme locally, and hear how Hayley ignites and reignites conversations through her poetry, wit, and words. Follow more of her work at hayleyderoche.com.