Join us for an open mic night hosted by poets Sambo Sak and Monica Sok. This special gathering invites youth, elders, and community members across generations to share original poems, spoken word, music, songs, and reflections that honor our collective joy, grief, survival, identity, and resilience. Come enjoy the spirit of our community over delicious food and artistic expression. Food and beverages will be provided.
The sign-up sheet for the open mic will open at 5pm. Each participant will have about 1-2 minutes to perform their piece. We would love for everyone to get a chance to share!
Want to get on the mic but don’t know what to share? Want to write something new to read for this occasion? Here are some writing prompts that may help you get started with your own ideas.
1. Find a photo of your family, friends, or your community. What is happening in the photo that we may not be able to see? What is the backstory? What do you think about when you see this photo?
2. Write about an elder by only describing the objects in their bedroom. What do they keep on their nightstand? What hangs on the wall? What does the room smell like? What do you see outside their window?
3. Share your favorite childhood memory that takes place during Khmer New Year. How did you celebrate? What rituals were most meaningful to you?
4. Write a love letter to future generations. What wisdom would you like to offer? What do you want them to remember?
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Sambo Sak is a Cambodian American raised in Long Beach. Sambo holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication studies. His degree helped him use storytelling to empower people. He helps individuals express their feelings and thoughts in writing. In this way, he helps them create and share their own stories and ultimately find self-identity. Sambo works at Families in Good Health at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. His work primarily involves case management, ensuring clients receive support and resources tailored to their needs.. Outreach is critical to his role, as he actively seeks to connect with and inform community members about available services and programs at the organization and in the community. Building and maintaining strong relationships with community members is essential, as is fostering trust and collaboration to understand better and address the community's needs. In his freetime, he enjoys running on the beach, practicing Muay Thai Kickboxing, exploring foods with friends, and volunteering his time to serve people in need.
Monica Sok is the author of A Nail the Evening Hangs On and the chapbook Year Zero, winner of a 2015 Poetry Society of America Chapbook Fellowship. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing at NYU and has received support from the Anderson Center, Hawthornden Foundation, Hedgebrook, MacDowell, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Wallace Stegner Fellowship, among others. In 2018, she was recognized with a 92Y Discovery Prize. Sok has taught at Stanford University, Barnard College, and the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants. Her latest poems have appeared in The Believer, Paris Review, POETRY, New England Review, Washington Post, and Michigan Quarterly Review among others. She was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and lives in New York City. She believes that we are all storytellers and looks forward to hearing you share your voice.
Also check out other Arts events in Long Beach, Literary Art events in Long Beach, Health & Wellness events in Long Beach.
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