i'm having fun filming and editing video. check out this new piece promoting the Louder Than a Bomb DMV Teen Poetry Slam Festival. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVn3RNdHj0A
posts
South Africa
so i just finished writing a grant to hopefully bring a bunch of poets from South Africa to Washington, DC next year. i had 4 grants due this week for work, plus one of my own as an individual. all of that while i was also running the largest youth poetry slam festival (and probably … Continue reading South Africa
Shout Out to the Youth Empowerment Summit!
today is going to be awesome. I get to meet a hundred or so high school students from various schools around York, PA at Martin Library's 8th Annual Youth Empowerment Summit. i'll be delivering the keynote address, running a couple workshops, and of course performing some poems. hopefully these kids are ready to rock out. … Continue reading Shout Out to the Youth Empowerment Summit!
Split This Rock Poetry Festival: Poems of Provocation & Witness
Here in Washington, DC, the Split This Rock Poetry Festival brings poets and activists from around the world together every other year. March 26 - 30, 2014 we are celebrating the transformative power of the imagination with poetry of provocation and witness. Please join us if you can. I'm performing Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at … Continue reading Split This Rock Poetry Festival: Poems of Provocation & Witness
Streetposia Crew in Stockholm, Sweden
I've been enjoying this week in Sweden with Palestinian activists and poets from around the world, here at #Streetposia. We're talking oppression, resistance, BDS and academic/cultural boycotts, learning and teaching and performing every day.
On Sunday April 13th JBT in Concert @ 5th & K
come see the Busboys and Poets Open Mic Host Crew in concert RSVP online via the Facebook event page.
Celebrated social justice wordsmith has performed poetry on stages from the Kennedy Center to South Africa
Thomas "Vocab" Hill is one of my students on the DC Youth Slam Team. He is also featured as one of the 2014 Young Futurists on TheRoot.com. If you go to his page and share it on either Facebook or Twitter, you help him win TheRoot.com's Young Futurist Award. Please read his post, watch his … Continue reading Celebrated social justice wordsmith has performed poetry on stages from the Kennedy Center to South Africa
Finalist in Harvard’s Pluralism Project Photography Contest!
most of you probably know me as a poet or a DJ. you may have seen me taking pictures at some poetry slams but probably don't consider me a photographer. i didn't really consider myself a photographer either really, until recently when i began shooting and editing more purposefully. young poets i work with are … Continue reading Finalist in Harvard’s Pluralism Project Photography Contest!
The Blood of Love – Community Poem
at my Busboys and Poets Wednesday night open mic we like to write a community poem involving everyone in the audience. we pass around the paper starting in the beginning of the show and everyone adds a line, so that by the end of the show we have a poem that we wrote together. this … Continue reading The Blood of Love – Community Poem
the DC Youth Slam Team’s 2014 SEMI-FINALS SLAM
is on sunday, january 26th at 4pm at the smithsonian's national portrait gallery in downtown, dc. it's free and open to the public, so bring the whole crew to see dc's finest young poets performing their original spoken word poetry. SEMI-FINALS2014PDF the fb event is here https://www.facebook.com/events/631308690245016/ and you should be there. the dc youth slam … Continue reading the DC Youth Slam Team’s 2014 SEMI-FINALS SLAM
FLY LANGUAGE Video from South Africa Youth Poetry Tour
From my trip in July 2013 with Split This Rock Teaching Artists and high school students on the DC Youth Slam Team to the City of Tshwane, South Africa for two weeks we'll always remember... this video was my first try at editing the footage to show part of our journey. I hope you like … Continue reading FLY LANGUAGE Video from South Africa Youth Poetry Tour
Electric Sunshine
Names? She goes by manyDo not try to label herShe gets out of all your boxesSmiling at your uneasinessInviting you to laugh at yourselfShe won’t do it alone, so you go with herBeautiful five foot something, dark curly hair, She can make prison walls show their dimplesStretching ocean waves flat across the face, a rocky shoreShe’ll … Continue reading Electric Sunshine
new poem – The Living Truth
http://youtu.be/SXFzUMYne3A I read this poem at the Busboys and Poets 5th & K Wednesday night open mic hosted by my man G. Yamazawa. My friend and teacher-of-the-year Clint Smith was the featured artist that night, and none other than Danny Glover read as the spotlight feature. Yes, that's Danny Glover in the background listening to … Continue reading new poem – The Living Truth
now hiring pt coordinator
if you know anyone interested there is now a position open for a part-time life coordinator my life is a mess gray hairs from the stress schedules and socials and i must confess it's sometimes too much often a fuss i need organizing put can't pay too much qualifications the ideal candidate will be quick … Continue reading now hiring pt coordinator
Mother’s Day Poem
I grew up wearing nothing But other peoples’ clothes Strangers’ used clothing Bought by my mom at local yard sales At some point, probably around middle school I was embarrassed about my pre-owned garb Thinking clothes should be bought full price at some fancy department store I don’t know who taught me this but it … Continue reading Mother’s Day Poem
April is National Poetry Month!
So my challenge to you and myself is to write more poetry. Take it to the extreme and join the 30/30 challenge, or just carve out a small chunk of time to devote yourself to the word once or twice a week. In addition to being fun and creative, it can also be very therapeutic … Continue reading April is National Poetry Month!
Spoken Word in Stockholm, Sweden
i bet you didn't even know that Sweden has a poetry scene. i wasn't really sure before coming here. i had never heard of it and would be lucky if i didn't mistake Sweden for Norway on a map, let alone know of poets from there. well they have a vibrant arts scene and i … Continue reading Spoken Word in Stockholm, Sweden
i’m curious what y’all think about thi
i'm curious what y'all think about this film, and the poetry and ideas in it. http://ow.ly/fbvFx
JBT 