Celebrated slam poet and educator Patricia Smith discusses what inspires her, exploring history through a poetic lens, and a poet’s role as an activist and a teacher.
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TJ Dema is a veteran spoken word poet from Botswana who has been performing for over a decade. She payed a visit to Pittsburgh in September to read at City of Asylum/Pittsburgh’s annual Jazz Poetry concert. Sampsonia Way presents three of her poems.
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Renowned poet Nikki Giovanni discusses her views on censorship, voter suppression in the upcoming presidential elections, the tribute she’s organizing to celebrate Toni Morrison’s legacy, and offers a message to young black poets.
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In this installment of our Jazz Poetry emcee interview series, Gail Austin and Mensah Wali of the Kente Arts Alliance to us about the organization’s mission and works, the public perception of Pittsburgh’s Northside, and their favorite jazz and poetry.
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In this interview Sheryl St. Germain talks about her work as a curator of City of Asylum/Pittsburgh’s annual event Writers in the Garden, the skills she wants her students to learn, and how writing helped her define her past.
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Ronell Guy, founder of Pittsburgh’s Northside Coalition for Fair Housing, sat down with Sampsonia Way to talk about the obstacles facing Northside neighborhoods, how her organization is tackling them, and the importance of community.
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In this interview with Paul Johnson, President of the Mexican War Streets Society, he talks about his reasons for moving to Pittsburgh, his various efforts to help build up the Northside, and why the weekend of Jazz Poetry is important for the community.
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An interview with Barbara Talerico, President of the Central Northside Neighborhood Council, a community-based organization working to develop Pittsburgh’s Central Northside neighborhood. Talerico is one of the emcees at this year’s Jazz Poetry Concert.
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Prior to the Jazz Poetry Concert on September 8th, City of Asylum/Pittsburgh is presenting Writers in the Garden, a celebration of local poets and the Northside community. This year’s poets include Christopher Medal-winners, Pushcart Prize-nominees and NEA Fellows.
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In this video Thomas Sayers Ellis reads several poems, including “My Meter is Percussive” and “Or”. Recorded in June at the annual Cave Canem reading, co-hosted by City of Asylum/Pittsburgh.
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