SOUND OFF! Open Mic

Join us for a night of uninhibited artistic expression and release as we invite you to SOUND OFF! Open Mic. This is your safe space to share your thoughts, emotions, and creativity in a supportive environment. Whether you're a seasoned performer or a first-time speaker, come amplify your voice and be part of a community that values and celebrates the power of expression!

FEATURED POETS:
January 27: Kenneth Something
February 24: Javon Rustin
March 24: Unique Robinson
April 28: Da Evangelist
May 31 (a special SOUND OFF! during EFFERVESCENT: A Pride Social): Ebony Quartz
June 23: Sir Harvey Fitz
July 28: TBD
August 25: TBD
September 22: TBD
October 27: TBD
December 22: TBD

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Interested in performing? The mic is open to ALL performers (18+) from poets to singers to comedians. Purchase a ticket on Eventbrite and arrive between 6:30-7:00 PM to sign-up on the list. There are 12 slots available for our open mic performances. The list fills up quickly so please plan accordingly!

OPEN MIC RULES:

1. 5 MINUTES. As soon as your mouth opens, your 5 minutes have begun.
2. RESPECT THE SPACE. This is a safe space and will be treated as such. The open mic is a church for many of us and It takes a lot of courage to share while fighting a war of nerves to share parts of our lives with others. We don’t know each other’s struggles, but we respect one another.
3. WHAT YOU WON’T DO. No homophobia. No transphobia. No disrespect against ANYONE’S sexuality or gender expression. No racism. No xenophobia. No misogyny. Straight to the point, no BS!
4. WATCH YOUR MOUTH. Yes, cursing is allowed, but only in the context of a piece!
5. BYE, FELICIA! Not following any of these rules will get you kicked out and banned from future open mics, so play nicely. We are all here for a reason. Let’s have fun, let’s enjoy this space and the art we are about to witness.

Info: Kenneth Something is a playwright, poet, educator, organizer, and activist. They have performed on stage across the United States. They are a multi-national poetry slam champion. In 2018, they were ranked 3rd best slam in the world.

Info: Javon Rustin is a poet, performer, and computer programmer; a writer of stories, stanzas, and software. He is a 2x HBCU graduate, receiving his Bachelors and Masters from North Carolina A&T. In the realm of poetry competitions, Javon has since been a 2x national poetry slam finalist as well as a regional slam champion and regional team finalist. He has worked as a teaching artist for youth in D.C., Texas, and North Carolina. His hobbies include reading as a form of escape or turning trauma into halfway decent jokes. Javon has been published in six anthologies and his performances can be found on Button Poetry, Write About Now, and All Def Poetry.

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