
Poetry Outloud Finalist Cassie Lumba
From Capital Chat by Alaska First Media
May 22, 2026 · 8 min · Episode 603
About this episode
Cliff Dumas interviews Cassie Lumba, a Poetry Out Loud finalist, discussing her future plans and the relevance of poetry to her generation.
On this episode of Capital Chat , Cliff Dumas visits with Cassie Lumba , a Juneau-Douglas High School senior and national finalist in the Poetry Out Loud competition. Cassie talks about graduating, heading to Anchorage to study biology with plans to go into dentistry, and what it feels like to close one chapter while stepping into the next. The conversation also explores social media, pressure on young people, and the importance of stepping back to find real connections. Cassie shares why she chose “Longings” by Nellie Rathbone Bright , a poem published in 1927 that still feels strikingly relevant today, and how its themes of freedom, nature, and emotional honesty connected with her own generation.
People in this episode
Host: Cliff Dumas
Guest: Cassie Lumba
Topics covered
- poetry
- youth pressure
- social media
- education
- personal growth
Keywords
- Poetry Out Loud
- Cassie Lumba
- Nellie Rathbone Bright
- youth
- dentistry
- social media
- personal connections
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Juneau-Douglas High School
Places: Anchorage
More episodes of Capital Chat
- First Friday, Celebration & the New Chapter for JAHC · June 6, 2026 · 4 min
- What’s Ahead for the Juneau-Douglas City Museum · June 5, 2026 · 6 min
- Juneau Flood Preparedness: Why Insurance Can’t Wait · June 4, 2026 · 7 min
- Jackie Renninger Park Day: A New Vision for Community Recreation · June 2, 2026 · 7 min
- UAS Outdoor Studies: Learning, Leadership and Life Outside · May 29, 2026 · 10 min
- End-of-Life Care in Juneau: Hospice, Support and Starting the Conversation · May 27, 2026 · 7 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Capital Chat podcast page.