The Slam Poetry Club, like many clubs, allows students to partake in a community sharing similar interests.
In addition, the Slam Poetry Club encourages student expression and creativity through events and workshops.
The Events such as the Self Express event and the Hip-Hop Workshop allowed participants the space and platform to express their thoughts and feelings. Students at the Self Express event performed various talents, while the Hip-Hop Workshop discussed the history and significance of Hip-Hop.
Several artistic forms are represented from students in the Slam Poetry Club. This gives students the ability to share their talents and experience new forms of art.
“Slam Poetry Club encourages students to express themselves by creating a space for them to share their truth. Through spoken word, we are able to connect with people and speak about our truth so that can encourage someone else to do the same thing,” said Margaret Jones, senior psychology major and club president.
The club not only fosters openness to several artistic forms, but also provides students the opportunity to learn about cultural movements such as hip-hop.
“Through the Hip-Hop Workshop we educate people about the songs and history of rap. We got to interact and speak with the people next to us to dissect the music and the truth that was being heard,” Jones said.
Events such as these impact students’ perspectives on themselves and those with whom they interact daily.
“It’s opened my eyes because you get to see other people’s perspectives and feelings and, quite frankly, it forces you to change your worldview,” said Ajamn Lee-Johnson, sophomore communication studies major.
In addition to building bridges between students, the Slam Poetry Club provides students with a community to form bonds with one another.
“When you’re in a club, you have this one uniting passion and you know what that passion is,” said Shanna Done, sophomore film studies and comedic arts double major. “You’re able to unabashedly love it and express yourself with these other people who get it.”
More importantly, the Slam Poetry Club brings a special sense of comfort and a place within the California Baptist University campus for students to share themselves.
“The Slam Poetry Club gives people the platform and the ability to not only write about how they feel but to be able to voice it,” Lee-Johnson said.
The Slam Poetry Club strives to encourage students’ truth and allow them to broaden their perspective and artistry. Overall, it is a place for community to be built on a deeper, more personal level.
