WeSlam writes in:
It’s that time of year…
Thanksgiving is almost upon us; we are dreading the imminent celebration of colonial genocide. We are pre-stressed about finals stress. On a more somber note, we are devastated as a community by the hatred shown by our fellow countrymen and the failure of our political system.
What an apt time for a poetry slam.
The 10 poets performing on the Grand Slam stage are but a small sliver of the fantastic artists we have had come and go from our spaces. The top 5 scoring poets from this night will form the traveling competitive team which will represent Wesleyan at national intercollegiate slams.
WeSlam is also honored to bring Paul Tran to our stage as our feature poet.
About Paul:
Paul Tran is a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net-nominated poet and historian. They won “Best Poet,” “Pushing the Art Forward,” and “The Torchbearers Award” at the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI). In 2015, they became the first Asian American in almost 20 years to represent the Nuyorican Poets Cafe at the National Poetry Slam (NPS) and Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS), where they ranked Top 10. In 2016, they were the first Asian American to represent Brooklyn at NPS, where they ranked Top 5. Paul is working on their first book. The manuscript examines intergenerational trauma, sexual violence, and U.S. empire after the Fall of Saigon in 1975.They live in New York City, where they are the Poet-in-Residence at Urban Word NYC and Poetry Editor at The Offing. Read more about Paul on their site.We are also thrilled to have the support of the Asian American Student Collective, the English and American Studies Departments, and the College of East Asian Studies in bringing Paul to campus.
**Paul will also be teaching a writing workshop at 4PM the day of the slam in the Shapiro Creative Writing Center**
Find more information and updates on the FB event.
Date: Saturday, November 19
Time: 7-9PM
Place: Music House (200 High St.)