Event Program - I Want to Write!

I Want to Write:
Poetry is Activism
Poetry and Spoken Word Festival
hosted by
TSU and Southern Word
April 22 and 23, 2016
Featured Appearance by BRUCE GEORGE
BRUCE GEORGE, founder of the Genius Is Common
movement and co-founder of HBO's Def Poetry Jam. As a
Peabody Award Winner he is a visionary, executive producer,
writer, poet and activist.
TSU’S OWN…
SOUL FIRE POETRY GROUP
WRITERS’ BLOCK
I Want to Write
I want to write
I want to write the songs of my people.
I want to hear them singing melodies in the dark.
I want to catch the last floating strains from their sob-torn
throats.
I want to frame their dreams into words; their souls into
notes.
I want to catch their sunshine laughter in a bowl;
fling dark hands to a darker sky
and fill them full of stars
then crush and mix such lights till they become
a mirrored pool of brilliance in the dawn.
- Margaret Walker
Welcome Poets!
On behalf of TSU and Southern Word, I welcome you to the second “I Want to Write” poetry festival.
Napkin on lap, fork in hand, prepare to be fed.
We are very proud of our efforts last year, but we just couldn’t get enough of you. And thanks to your
feedback and contribution, we were able to expand this year’s program with collaborations with TSU’s
Mass Communications, Psychology and Art Departments. This year’s theme, Poetry is Activism, is a
battle cry anchored by this year’s Featured Guest speaker Bruce George, of HBO Def Poetry acclaim.
Workshops are balanced by performances throughout the program, to include featured presentations
by TSU’s Soul Fire and Writers’ Block.
Indeed, our community recognizes the power of poetry to change minds. The right words, at the right
time, in the right place, in front of the right audience can spark a revolution. The poet is in constant
pursuit of that formula. We are delighted that you will walk with us on that journey.
To that end, we want to hear your voices. Please feel free to submit any works you create stemming
from your “I Want to Write” experiences to the submission forum on our festival website. These works
will be considered for publication in a special edition of TSU’s Sketches Online Literary Journal.
In the meantime, dig in. This plate is hot, and there is a fresh batch of metaphors in the oven.
Poetically Yours,
Michelle J. Pinkard, PhD
Event Coordinator
Eateries on Campus: Located upstairs, inside the Floyd/Payne Campus Center, The Food Court has all the options you
need! Our food court offerings include Pizza Hut Express & Chick-Fil-A Express. The Main Café is located on the lower
level the premier all you care to eat option on campus. With domestic and international menus that change daily, this is your
home on campus for great food. Plenty of healthy options every day, including vegetarian options!
Friday, April 22, 2016
“Poetry of the Page”
Humanities Building
1 - 2:30p. Panel: Poetries of Activism: How to become a purpose driven poet? (Poag Aud.)
Opening Performance by Soul Fire
Poetry Reading and Panel Discussion
2:45 – 3:45p
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A Heritage of Hearsay: Poetic Responses to Historical Violence – Prof. Parham (Huma 113)
How to Haiku: A Review of the Evolution of Haiku – Dr. Elaine Philips (Huma 201)
Bridges and Riffs: Lyricism and Song Writing – Dr. Luke Powers (Huma 136)
4 – 5p
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Eco-Poetry: Aesthetics of Activism – Prof. Marsha Williams (Huma 136)
Legacies Unpacked Part One: Poetry Reading and Workshop in Ethical Will Poetry – Dr. Mary Shelton,
Dr. Michelle J. Pinkard, and TSU English Majors (Huma 113)
Sonnetopia: How to become a Medieval Sonneteer – Dr. Wendy Hennequin (Huma 201)
5:15 – 6:15p
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Poetry & Journaling: Love Between the Lines – Angela Grant (Huma 113)
Legacies Unpacked Part Two: How to Translate your Poetry into Visual Art (Supplies Provided) –Profs.
Lakesha Moore and Cynthia Gadsden, TSU Art Dept. (Jane Elliott Hall/Women’s Building in Room 008)
Poetic Hybridity: Genre Mixing and Remixing – Prof. Nina Adel (Huma 136)
7:00p Intercollegiate Showcase and Open Mic
Floyd Payne: Forum Auditorium
Saturday, April 23, 2016
“Poetry of the Stage”
12:30-1:30p Shattering Silence: Finding Victory in Voice (Poag Auditorium)
Opening Performance by Writers Block
Bruce George Feature Presentation
1:45-2:45p
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Rhymesayers: Intonation from Hip Hop to Spoken Word – Dylan Phillips (Huma 201)
Street Smarts: Turning Talent and Passion into a Career – Bruce George (Huma 113)
Free people, Freestyle: Uncaging the Poet from Within – Saran Thompson (Huma 136)
3-4p
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Movesmeant – Defining Intention and Movement in Spoken Word – Patrick James, (Poag Aud.)
Feeling Myself: Finding the Authentic Voice Within – Tia Mitchell (Huma 136)
Street Smarts: Turning Talent and Passion into a Career – Bruce George (Huma 113)
4:15-5:15p
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Syncing Your Teeth In: Getting the Meat of Group Performance – Hanna Rodriquez, (Huma 201)
Kid in Play: Learn tools for creating fully developed characters and crafting effective scenes for stage.
Shawn Whitsell, (Huma 136)
Beats and Lyrics: Learn to Write over Beats Jarrel Pierson, (Huma 113)
5:30-6:30p.
Screening: Projections of Truth: Dramatizations of Ars Poetica – hosted by Mass Comm,
English Students, and Dr. Michelle J. Pinkard (Huma 113)
7:00p.
Grand Slam Final- High School-hosted by
Southern Word
Presenters and Performers
Featured Presenter
BRUCE GEORGE is a visionary, executive producer, writer, poet and activist.
He has written poetry, prose and articles for over 37 years. He is the
Founder/Executive Consultant of Ebony Energy Talent Network featuring major
talent such as Paul Mooney, Rev. Jessie Jackson, and Amiri Baraka. He is also
co-founder of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Russell Simmons’s Def
Poetry Jam and the founder and Managing Editor of The Bandana Republic, an
Anthology of Poetry & Prose by Gang Members & Their Affiliates. George is
the founder and executive producer of a spoken word documentary
entitled: Bone Bristle, A Spoken Word Documentary that features critically acclaimed writers, poets & spoken
word artists. Learn more at www.geniusiscommon.com.
Featured Performers
TSU’S SOUL FIRE POETRY GROUP
TSU’S WRITERS’ BLOCK
Workshop Facilitators
PROF. NINA ADEL is writer and musician specializing in hybrid genres. Her cross-genre
works combine prose, poetry and sometimes music and test the boundaries between fiction
and creative nonfiction. She holds a BA from the University of New Mexico and Berklee
College of Music and an MA in English and Writing from Belmont University. She is
currently an MFA candidate at Hamline University and has taught English at colleges and
universities in Boston, Chicago and Nashville prior to her current position at TSU.
CYNTHIA GADSDEN is an Assistant Professor of Art History at Tennessee State
University, where she teaches courses in African American Art and African American Film.
As a researcher, she explores various aspects of contemporary African American art. Currently
working to complete a doctorate in Transformative Studies at the California Institute of
Integral Studies, she is investigating the transformative power of art through the lens of
African American culture and Art-based Research. Also a visual artist, her work explores the
connection between silence and voice through printmaking, painting, and textiles.
ANGELA AILEEN GRANT is an author, entrepreneur, and licensed school counselor. Her
name means “messenger who sheds great light” which is what she has devoted her life to
doing. Angela received her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Clark Atlanta University
in Atlanta, Georgia and her M. A. in Applied Psychology specializing in K-12 Counseling
and Guidance from New York University. Grant was born and raised in Nashville, TN where
she currently resides. Learn more about her work at msangelagrant.com.
DR. WENDY HENNEQUIN teaches courses in medieval literature, British literature, world
literature, and composition. Her research interests include Old English language and
literature, women characters in Old English and medieval texts, women warriors, and
teaching with technology. Professor Hennequin is the academic advisor for Beowulf the Event
(live performances of the poem Beowulf by storytellers).
PATRICK JAMES M. is an artisté that has lived in Nashville for 10 years. He studied at
Elmhurst College, Fisk University & Vanderbilt University. With a wide range of experience,
Mr. James has served as the Creative Administrator for over 100+ varied artist organizations
around the world. He is the director of Nobleman Productions & has 20+ years of
performance experience-sharing his poetry mostly at open mics, writing & starring in the
National Day of Prayer commercial, dancing for 6 years with Forces of Nature Dance Theater
Company (Harlem, NY), & acting in Johannesburg, South Africa as a cast member of the show 'A Poem for
Broken Boys'. Mr. James continues to support, provide resources & advocate for artists & the development of
their works.
As a poet and speaker, TIA MITCHELL is known for unforgettable performances that boast
of her roots in the theatre. She has opened for the likes of Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets
and Grammy nominated artists such as: Dwele, Raheem DeVaughn and Mint Condition to
name a few. Coupled with her husband, they were named Southern Entertainer of the Year in
2007 as the spoken word dynamic duo GRAVATY. She has taught the fundamentals of poetry
and spoken word as an artist in residence in various schools in Tennessee and has written and
directed the compelling piece BEYOND THE TRUTH: Brown Tales of Innocence and Experience. Lately, Tia has
been traveling to speak at various women’s conferences, using her poetry to share her tales of trouble to triumph.
PROF. LAKESHA MOORE earned her M.F.A. with a focus on painting from the University
of Tennessee in Knoxville and a B.F.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. Her
commitment to her faith and pursuit of culture study has given her many opportunities to study
and travel abroad. Besides painting, Lakesha's artistic practice is a melding of music, writing
and community work. Identity is a theme that is central to her work, as well as the potential for
connection when our personal histories are shared and embraced. This is fueled by a strong
interest in the role that collective and personal memory have on one’s identity and psyche.
PROF. JEWELL PARHAM is a writer and English instructor at Tennessee State University.
Parham participated in writing an instructional guide to the Norton Anthology of African
American Literature. She is a contributor to the reference books Notable American Black
Men, volumes I and II. She has contributed several publications in the Encyclopedia of
African American Culture, one of which includes the entry for First Lady Michele Obama.
And her most recent professional writing appears in Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance
Era. Though Parham does not call herself a poet, she writes occasional verse, edits poetry, and demonstrates
poetry writing with her classes.
DYLAN “nobigdyl.” PHILLIPS is a Hip-Hop artist, poet, and teaching artist from
Murfreesboro. After graduating from MTSU with an honors degree in Music Business, he and
his wife started their music and marketing firm, indie tribe. LLC. Through indie tribe, he has
garnered hundreds of thousands of online spins, tens of thousands of video views and mixtape
downloads, and was named a “Rapzilla Freshman”. Currently, Dylan is working on his debut
album, tour, and merchandise line.
DR. ELAINE ANDERSON PHILLIPS has an MFA in Creative Writing from Arizona State
University and a PhD in British Literature from Vanderbilt University. She is currently an
Associate Professor of English at Tennessee State University, where she teaches composition,
creative writing, and British literature. She has published poetry in Haydn’s Ferry Review and
the Vanderbilt Review. She has also published scholarship on Daniel Defoe, Samuel
Richardson, Queen Mary II of England, and Bing Crosby. Her current research interests are in
fan fiction and writing communities.
JARREL PIERSON is a multi-talented graduate of MTSU’s Recording Industry program.
In addition to his background as an audio engineer and producer, Jarrel sings, performs
spoken word, and is Southern Word’s resident DJ. In Spring 2011, he participated in
Southern Word and Vanderbilt’s collaborative Mentoring Literacy Through Spoken
Wordseminar that prepares college students to use spoken word as teaching tool. Upon his
graduation from MTSU, his ability to generate creative, engaging lesson plans that integrate
writing and performance in a variety of formats made him an important partner for Southern Word.
HANNAH RODRIGUEZ is a graduate of Hunters Lane and participated in Southern
Word's inaugural programs as a high school student. She is a graduate of the School of the
Art Institute of Chicago and has prior experience as an Admissions Counselor, Senior
Resident Advisor, Tour Coordinator, and Gallery Operator. After graduating from college,
she returned to Nashville and began as a mentor with Southern Word. In her new role, she
will oversee the development of a youth board, marketing strategy, and a college writer
support system. BNV is short for Brave New Voices, the name for the national slam festival and national field
building initiative.
DR. MARY SHELTON, is an associate professor of psychology at Tennessee State
University. After earning a master’s degree in English and Creative Writing, she earned a
doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Community Psychology. She teaches courses in learning,
lifespan development, and the psychology of death; and she studies college students’ beliefs
regarding trauma and coping. When students in her classes write ethical wills, her “meeting
agenda” is to teach, her personal agenda is to inspire, and her hidden agenda is for her students
to teach and inspire the people they love.
SARAN "S-WRAP' THOMPSON, 25, is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University
and Martin Luther King Academic Magnet in Nashville. When he isn’t on the production side
of a mixing board, he’s in the booth behind the mic. Saran has been rapping since he was 11
years old and emerged as a member of MTSU’s WordUP, performing at music venues around
Murfreesboro. Saran recently spent a year abroad in Japan where he not only learned the
culture but learned to rap in Japanese by collaborating with HERC and CZ Tyga.
SHAWN WHITSELL is an actor, producer, playwright, director, filmmaker and spoken
word artist. In 2007, he founded the Destiny Theatre Experience, through which he has
produced (and acted in) several productions including Pretty Fire, In Real Life, Before It Hits
Home, No Child and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog. Shawn has also produced
and directed his original plays: Never Been Home, Beyond Loose Ties, House of Harts, In The
Pastor’s Shadow, Life To Come, Dilemmas and Perspectives: Thru the Eyes of Men and My
Lover, My Best Friend & My Roommate. In addition to producing and directing, Shawn serves as an organizer for
the annual Shades of Black Theatre Festival. Shawn is also the founder of Focused Dreams Films. He has written,
produced and directed a number of films and music videos.
PROF. MARSHA ELAINE WILLIAMS artistic odyssey began with play-writing in
grade school and often took musical turns. An alumna of Berklee College of Music, she's
performed on The Mountain Stage and at Tin Pan South, and her songs have been recorded
by Emmylou Harris and Cerys Matthews, featured on ABC and NPR, and licensed for use
in television and film. She is currently in the process of recording a new collection of
material, one which will be infused with ecological concerns and a call for action, passions
ignited by the present environmental crisis wielded against her native Appalachia by Big Coal, but one which
reaches into all areas of environmental advocacy. She is a mother and professor of English.
Event Coordinator
DR. MICHELLE J. PINKARD is an English Professor and faculty adviser to Soul Fire
Poetry Organization. Her scholarship is inspired by intersections in African American, Gender,
Modernism and Creative Writing studies. She is also a poet whose work was published
in Callaloo Journal, and The African American Review. Pinkard’s essays, short stories and
poems have appeared in several anthologies. She is currently working on a scholarly project in
Harlem Renaissance women’s poetics.
Workshop Notes
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Event Committee
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Dr. Michelle J. Pinkard, TSU
Benjamin Smith, Southern Word
Tia Mitchell, Southern Word
Soul Fire, TSU
Engl. 3120, TSU Creative Writing Poetry Students
TSU Writing for Publication Students
TSU English Department faculty/staff
Special thanks to the Service Learning, TSU Media/Libraries, Events Planning, University Printing,
University Communications, Academic Affairs, Festival Presenters and Performers, Event Coordinators
and Program Volunteers for their support. And, thank you for your interest in poetry and spoken word.
Learn more about Southern Word at SouthernWord.org. Learn more about TSU at Tnstate.edu. Visit
the festival website to see images and to submit workshop inspired poems to Sketches, The Online
Creative Arts Journal of Tennessee State University…
Happy Writing!
http://iwanttowrite-tsupoetryconference.weebly.com
The Department of Languages, Literature and Philosophy is the largest academic
unit on campus with approximately fifty faculty members—including twenty-five
tenured/tenure-track faculty members. Department members represent a
variety of specializations such as Creative Writing, Rhetoric and Composition,
Culture Studies, Ethics, Digital Media and Popular Culture.
Through the literary and performing arts, Southern Word offers creative
solutions for youth to build literacy and presentation skills, reconnect to their
education and to their lives, and act as leaders in the improvement of their
communities. We are absolutely committed to providing youth, especially in
underserved communities, with as many opportunities as possible to develop and
publicly present their voices both live and in print, video, audio, and digital
media.