Sometimes, people just need to be heard, and that’s the goal for the first “Be Heard Poetry Slam Competition,” presented by
The event will be held from 7-9 p.m. Saturday at the Durango Arts Center Theater.
There are 23 confirmed competitors, who range in age from 16 to 85, said Ashley Merchant, community engagement coordinator with United Way of Southwest Colorado. She said the level of interest was encouraging.
“It’s pretty awesome for being a new poetry competition,” she said. “The goal was to get at least 20 entries.”
Merchant said United Way is looking for people to get involved in conversations about the bigger issues our community faces. And with the topic of Saturday night’s event being social awareness and self-reflection, this is a good time for that dialogue to begin.
“We’re switching models a little bit, and there are a lot of community conversations that are going to be going on to figure out what our big community issues are,” she said. “We’re switching to more of a collective-impact model, of getting the whole community involved in a social-issue topic. It’s providing a space for people to be able to speak.”
Along with the poetry slam competitors, there will also be other performers, an art exhibition, and Housing Solutions will be showing its homeless photo project.
Merchant said that building the event around poetry should make for an interesting evening.
“The best thing has been poetry is so hidden, it’s kind of coming out of the woodwork now,” she said. “I have friends who I didn’t even know wrote poetry who are doing it (the slam), who are going, who are interested in it. It’s definitely catching on. It’s almost like there’s a need for it, just for voices being heard.”
And she said that going to the poetry slam is a great way to get more involved in the community.
“People should go if they are part of our community and want to be a part of making a difference in it and they want to be heard,” Merchant said. “The theme of the competition is “Be Heard,” and the reason why that’s the name is because we want everyone to be heard. So here’s one chance, and hopefully, we’ll have more and continue with it.”
Tickets are $10 online and $12 at the door. There will be a cash bar, and light snacks will be available. Money raised goes to United Way Southwest Colorado, which gives it out to its partner nonprofits.
katie@durangoherald.com
if you go
Be Heard Spoken Word Poetry Slam Competition will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave. Tickets are $10 when purchased online at www.unitedway-swco.org or $12 at the door.
For more information, call 247-9444.
