Take the Mic at the Verbal Blend Poetry Slam

Verbal Blend, a spoken-word poetry program within the Office of Multicultural Affairs, will host its annual Take the Mic Poetry Slam on Thursday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium, Newhouse 3. Doors will open at 7:15 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The poetry slam is a competition that includes students from Syracuse University, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Le Moyne College and Onondaga Community College. Poets recite original material for up to three minutes. After two rounds, judges score poets on their originality, stage presence, content, delivery and time. Trophies are awarded to the first-, second- and third-place poets.

“This poetry slam event is like a great debate or spelling bee to the spoken word poet,” says Cedric Bolton, coordinator of student engagement in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. “Students work their way through two rounds against the competition to win first place and bragging rights until the next slam.”

This year’s emcees are Andre Yearwood, a junior in the Newhouse School, and Gaelyn Smith, a first-year student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. DJ Zel will spin music throughout the night.

Students interested in competing should email Bolton at ctbolton@syr.edu by Tuesday, April 18, at 5 p.m.

For more information on Verbal Blend or the slam, contact Bolton at 315.443.9676 or ctbolton@syr.edu.