Salome Agbaroji

In a space where you feel like you're voiceless, in a space where you may not be allowed to say something in the fear that funding from your very important project will get pulled, art is the way that you reckon with that, either in a private meditative space or in a very public, social way that galvanizes others to join with you, to meditate on or organize against

anything that's going on in your community or society that you disapprove of.

I've been able to, you know, use poetry to

changed policymakers' minds on homelessness policy.

I've been able to use poetry to remind people that quality education is a right of all people.

And I've seen art really transform in a way that gives me power back.

And I really encourage people to pick up the pen and paper and write.

Don't let that creative spirit in you die, even though there are so many forces against its flourishment.

It's very interesting.

Poets are really, really used to verbal acknowledgement or affirmation, whether it be a hmm or a snap, something that says, you know, we love this or that line hit me.

It struck me in the right ways.

Or at least like we're in community.

Exactly.

We're here.

But then with the lights dimmed.

And then I'm like on stage and it's like pure silence.

And it's also interesting because it's maybe like a 270 degree stage.

It gave a really fun opportunity to play with space.

And I had to even psych myself up to say like,

hey, crouch if you want to or look up there.