Kicking the future off with a SLAM
This youth open mic Slam poetry event is a local refuge for upcoming artists in the DMV.
“The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is; it's to imagine what is possible.”
-bell hooks
Rallying voices and charismatic conversations bustled throughout Washington, D.C., on November 4th, 2023. Young people from around the tri-state area lent their voices to an evening of slam performances at the Words Beats and Life Academy’s annual youth poetry open mic event, Slamtastic. Telling it like it is, young poets shared their craft with a room of their peers along with community members from the metropolitan area.
In addition to sharing open, honest and courageous empathy, young performers dared audiences to imagine what was possible through their unique lenses. The topics offered a youthful insight into the intersections of being young, innovative and having something to say. Feeding from the energy of the protests and marches of the day, young poets read their words with daring possibilities and conscious minds. Every first Saturday from now through March, this WBL academy program provides the space and time for young poets to be able to call 14th Street a second home.
“We all start somewhere.” - Egypt
Using the 14th Street Busboys and Poets stage as an anchor, young poets emoted their words with fierce conviction and resilient wordplay. Among the bustling energy of artistic resistance and cultural exchange, young artists and their people swapped intimate moments amongst the cozy performance space. The walls were littered with portraits of historical figures whose art and activism impacted many social changes throughout our history.
As members of the WBL academy community set the tone for what slam and wordplay are all about, a diverse audience made up of peers, relatives and other members of the D.C. art community hung on to each word from young slam poets and artists. Each performer took up space and laid claim to their prophetic dreams of a liberated future. Hosted by WBL Slam Team Coach Glo Shines, with effervescent sound support from D.J. Shablast, the mic was passed between generations as the powerful exchange of words filled the room.
“Domestication isn`t always straight.” -Lemonade Dream
Each poet brought their poems, wrestling with hard conversations about belonging, family life and navigating respectability politics. One young poet gave a paramount performance in her articulation of what Black hair represents to her and her vision of beauty. This, along with another reading by a member of the WBL Slam team, inspired other young poets to read their work for the first time. One first-time Slam performer wrote a piece while listening to the amenable words of their peers, leading them to read aloud again. The reciprocity of the heartfelt gathering and celebration of young wordsmiths was paralleled with the energy of the young voices marching for Palestine earlier that day.
“Addressing one Holocaust by creating another.” - Laila
In true hip-hop fashion, young artists spoke truth to power. A young Palestinian poet gave a chilling yet mind-bending picture of what freedom is and what it ain’t. Calling on audience members to envision the mind-boggling dichotomies of power while conjuring a bold declaration for justice through their piece. In addition to speaking to the larger contexts of our world, young poets cheered, cried, laughed and joined in on the performance as young wordsmiths spoke their minds. There was no shortage of collective energy working together in this well-known zone for artistic exploration and fellowship.
“Like a young Will Smith, I don’t have to cuss to get my point across.” - Joy
The surrealist nature of the experiences articulated in each poem ushered in the spirit of combating the status quo and making the congregation cry out in celebratory joy. A young trans poet gave powerful words to the experiences of living within the intersections of Black identity and the systems that seek to erase them. Through the embodiment of their stories, this Academy event bore witness to the vast perspectives and journeys of the next generation’s freedom praxis. That Saturday evening in North West D.C., 14th Street was the moniker of the great lexicographers and storytellers for the culture to come. With fearless rhetoric and a spirited ambition for words, this Slam poetry event embodied the tools for arts education in a rapidly changing world.
Youth poets ages 13 to 19 are taking the stage and sharing their voices in this five-round tournament from December 2023 to April 2024. This opportunity is a chance to be named Grand Slam Champion and some of the newest members of the 2024 DMV Youth Slam Team.
Our DMV Youth Slam Team receives individualized training from our poetry and writing pros with the opportunity to perform at local and national events throughout the year. This is your chance to gain valuable experience and exposure and connect with a supportive community of fellow poets, artists and writers who share your passion for spoken word. This is an incredible opportunity to elevate your poetry and make a lasting impact on the poetry scene.
