How did you first get into poetry?
Following my big sisters. I am number four out of five kids, and my big sisters were always my biggest inspiration to do everything. So they started writing, and honestly, I was looking for a way to just be like them, because I’m the only one that’s like, a little bit different. I was always outside. They’re more like homebodies, more family oriented, and I was like more of the crazy kid. I was looking for a way to connect with my siblings.
What is your favorite thing about poetry?
Community. Absolutely, 100% community. It’s the people. Although writing is very important to me, reading is very important to me, just being in the space with the people and learning how I can serve.
What is your favorite thing about slam poetry?
Whenever anybody asks me about slam poetry, I’m gonna tell you the truth, I hate it. I hate it, but it’s also like a love-hate relationship, right? Because the whole thought of it is actually really crazy to me, right? Like, you can’t really put a score on anyone’s heart and soul, right? Everyone is a 10, right? But I think we do it just because we’re a little bit quirky and crazy and just because we really love being in community. So again, my favorite thing, and I guess the only thing that I really, really love about slam, is just being in community with my fellow poets.
What inspires you to write?
We live in a very crazy time, and I think that nowadays, a lot of people are questioning the things they’ve been taught, questioning themselves, and just kind of looking for a place where they can be safe, and the place that I can be safest, the place that I can help others find safety and feel safe in my presence is through my art. So I’m just looking for a little piece of peace in the world, and this is my way to contribute peace and to share in peace in my community.
What are you most excited about for the upcoming Teen Spoken Word Festival?
I’m so excited to see all the youth. Of course, of course, of course I really hope that my team does very well. I hope we win. But I am a huge fan of just seeing youth take that step so many times. And I can even say this for myself, like so many times, we’re right on that edge, you know, and taking that step and finding our voice and poetry is the thing that is saving us, is our saving grace and keeping us here. I love to see so many of them going for it. I know that it’s kind of helping them to reaffirm that they belong here. And I love to see them doing that. So I just can’t wait to see them all give themselves a chance and hopefully celebrate themselves, win, lose or draw.
Any other additional thoughts?
When you are in the presence of a young person, you are in the presence of the future, and it’s very important that you carefully manage that, because that is our tomorrow. When it comes to these youth, they are everything, and it’s our job to lead and guide and protect. And so I call upon my fellow adults to do our job. And I call upon the youth to just make sure that they’re always pushing back, that they’re always fighting, that they’re always making sure that they know that they belong. Seek out safe adults and make us do our job, period. Hold us accountable at every turn. That’s really the biggest thing that I have to say to young people, seek out safe adults and hold them accountable. Make them do their jobs.