#calslam

[lungpeiling]

"Remember, there will be a day you feed your daughter to a pack of wolves. 

Panic. The day your son  grows teeth. "

goosebumps ! 

[kmlucas-blog]

[peacepoetryprogress]

-Brandon Melendez, (I'll edit this when I find out the title.) "Years later, my grandpa asks me why I still haven't learned the pronunciation of our history. Somehow, I couldn't find the english to explain it."

[ucbclam-blog]

CalSlam's First Open Mic Night

Stepping up to the Mic can be a daunting and scary moment, the deep inhale, the nervous flutter inside, where the words are nestled waiting to be let out, all stacked on top of each other in that small moment that feels like an eternity before you are able to open you mouth and let the words free. Once the words are set loose, they come ripping out of you with a flurry of emotion, gestures, and words that burn with meaning. 

This is an Open Mic, one of many that CalSlam will be having throughout the rest of the semester and the year. Last Friday was the very first Open Mic where around 25 people went up on stage to pour out their souls, their humor, and ultimately their words. There was a huge variety in presentation, style, and the people themselves. Some people did humorous spoken word like on which was a conversations with the internet as an intimate partner, others chose to share deep emotional pieces of poetry about pain and personal loss or anguish. There was also a great display of multi-cultural communication and spoken word poetry in different languages, rappers, and even a musician with a beautiful song about love. The night was topped off at the end with the amazing Terisa Siagatonu who was the feature spoken word poet of the night. 

Everyone did an amazing job, and it took a lot of courage to get up on stage and share such personal things about themselves. It really was an examplary night for what Spoken Word is as a creative art. Everyone who stepped up to the Mic had something to say and used their own ways to convey their messages.

This kind of creative expression happens a lot on campus and is an important part of the creative process that most people fear. Sharing your work.  As a writer, musician, rapper, or spoken word poet, everyone needs a space to feel safe, welcomed, and inspired by their fellow creative souls. CalSlam's open mics are just one of many opportunities to find that space, so check it out and explore your options!

[ucbclam-blog]

Open Mic Opportunity

This Friday there is an amazing oppurtunity for singers, writers, poets (page and spoken alike), and rappers to take part in Cal Slam's first Open Mic event of the semester. 

For those of you not familiar with UC Berkeley's Cal Slam organization on Campus, it is a group that is a highly creative, energetic, and amazingly talented that uses spoken word as both a creative outlet as well as a competition during their Slam events. They host weekly writing workshops in 100 Wheeler every Monday at 7pm in addition to their monthly Slam and Open Mic Events. 

The open mic event is located in the Maude Fife Room in the English Department, otherwise known as 315 Wheeler. Sign ups to get onto the Open Mic list begin at 6:30pm and the show begins at 7pm. Anyone is welcome, you don't have to be a poet or even a writer, if you are at all interested in creative expression this is an amazing event to attend! There is a small 5 dollar entry fee to get in, but it is entirely worth it to either perform yourself, or watch your fellow students get up on stage and belt out their words for the world to hear. 

[sarahsassafras]

Slamming for the second time ever tonight. Awwww yissssss!

[beautyinthebr0ken]

But I spell womyn with a Y So my thickest armor Is not the foundation MAC sells But the hope coated on thick for resilience For learning from experience For realizing the distance You put between who you were and who you are