In a world where Spoken Word and Oral Storytelling have been cast aside in favour of Instapoetry, only two poet clowns have the power to unite the best of the best poets and performers to take one more stand against the Capitalist Regime of Page Poetry. Can hosts Dina Del Bucchia and jaye simpson name the next Growing Room Slam Champion in time to save CanLit from utter annihilation? Witness as someone from this talented group of artists—Ayan Ismail, Erika Thorkelson, NASRA, Lucia Misch, Karmella Cen Benedito De Barros, jaz, and Kalilah Rampanen—becomes the next Growing Room Slam Champion.
Event Type: Reading
Event Code: BEA/FRI-2
Venue: Beaumont Studios
Date: Friday, March 13, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Cost: Pay What You Can (recommended: $12.50)
ASL Interpretation Available by Request Before February 15, 2020
Ayan Ismail is a Black, African, Muslim Refugee-Settler on the stolen and occupied territories of the Coast Salish Peoples. She is an international studies major and sociology minor at SFU. When not deeply intrigued by decolonial poetry/art and African literature books, you can find Ayan gushing about basketball, acting and filmmaking, and organizing spaces that meaningfully engage Black youth.
Dina Del Bucchia writes books, co-hosts a podcast and hosts events.
Erika Thorkelson writes fiction and creative non-fiction. Recently, her work has appeared in the Walrus, Room Magazine and Chatelaine. She teaches at Emily Carr University.
jaye simpson is an Oji-Cree Saulteaux queer writer residing in what is colonially known as Vancouver. Their work has been featured across Turtle Island in print, performance and multimedia platforms.
jaz is a 2 spirit anti-professional, working as an interdisciplinary artist with a focus on decolonization and indigenous autonomy. they are a defender of the sacred and use their craft as a tool to decolonization and land sovereignty. they and their fire are from the secwepemc nation of the south central interior of so called british columbia.
Karmella Cen Benedito De Barros is an urban Indigi-queer born into diaspora. Her people come from Brazil (linking back to Africa through the slave trade), and the Mistawasis Cree nation.
Lucia Misch is a writer and creative facilitator with deep roots in spoken word poetry. Her debut collection, The Problem With Solitaire, was released in 2019.