As part of Black History Month, students perform in Salt Lake Community College’s fourth annual poetry slam on Monday, Feb 6.
Students ate lunch and listened to poetry at the Student Center Cafeteria of the Taylorsville Redwood Campus.
The event was titled, “Experience Hope and Strength.” It was hosted by the Black Student Union, (BSU), Student Life and Leadership, and Academic Career Advising.
“The poetry slam is for people to express themselves, and for people to hear all voices,” says Aarion Goodluck, Vice-President of the Black Student Union. “People can learn a bit more about black culture.”
Nine different students read a total of ten poems. Three of the poems recited were originals.
The student performances included:
- Inacio Lopez’s reading of “The Creation” by James Weldon Johnson
- Nora Esquivel’s reading of “I Wrote a Good Omelet” by Nikkia Giavanni
- Monte Langi’s reading of “You” which is an original poem
- Judith Sluga’s reading of “And2morrow” by Tupac
- Andrea Aguilar’s reading of her own poem titled “The Shadow”
- Shekinah’s reading of ”Sorry” by Ntoz Ake Shangle
- Ezra Williams’ reading of an original poem called “I’m Free”
- Koyom Koyom’s reading of another Tupac poem titled “Dear Mama”.
Jack Hesleph, co-advisor to the BSU also read a poem that is called “We People Darker than Blue”.
“I was invited, it was suggested to me that I perform one of my own poems,” Aguilar says.
Sluga and Sammy Ilfra performed conga drum music at the opening and closing of the event.
The event ended with Hesleph making an announcement about the “Dancing Across the Ages” dance on Feb. 24, at 7:00 p.m. in the Student Event Center.
