The Selby Auditorium was abuzz the night of Nov. 28 as the Saint Leo Slam Poetry Club hosted their annual SLAMabration event.
Senior Psychology Major Milynthia Foard and Sophomore Marketing Major Chandler Gordon hosted the event and entertained viewers with comedic commentary. Quincy, a Junior Psychology Major, not only controlled the music for the event, keeping it lively, he also performed a spiritual and heart-wrenching poem.
The theme of free expression was evident throughout the night as poems from artists of all backgrounds were performed through various means. Each act was unique and entertaining. It was clear that poetry holds a special meaning for each of the performers.
“I like it [Slam poetry] because you can express yourself without judgment,” Gordon expressed.
The first performance of the night came from Sophomore Business Major named Stevie from Zephyrhills, who performed a cover of the Shawn Mendes song “Mercy” in addition to an exhilarating poem of her own. It was her first time publicly reading poetry. Following her was Nicholas Fox, a Sophomore Biology Major from Nassau, Bahamas, who read his heated poem “Serpent.”
Performances that followed included a student named Jessica who read her thought-provoking poem “Too Black,” a student named Gabby who impressed the audience with her vocals, and a student, who goes simply by the name Midknight, entertained with a rap. A Campus Security officer who goes by Louie Free also performed a rap that had students bouncing out of their seats.
Two students from USF (University of South Florida) came out to the event to perform as well. They are a rap duo by the name of EXNIHLO, and the audience was so enthralled by them that one student inquired as to whether or not they had a mixtape available.
Ms. Rose Quinn, Student Success Coach and Instructor of First Year Experience, performed two of her poems as well. She performed first as a solo act and then read her next piece as a two-voice poem with assistance from Milynthia Foard.
The event concluded with Foard’s poetry. Foard is one of the students assigned to Quinn as a Student Success Coach, and at the start of the Fall 2017 semester Foard came to her and asked her to be the faculty advisor for the Slam Poetry Club. Quinn was honored by the request and excitedly accepted. Rose Quinn is also the faculty advisor for Saint Leo’s Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/ Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Incorporated chapter. The chapter was just established in April of last year and it became the sorority’s first undergraduate chapter in Florida.
The Slam Poetry Club of Saint Leo University meets every two weeks on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the SOB (School of Business) room 225 and they extend an open invitation to all students. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Rose Quinn at rosemary.quinn@saintleo.edu or Milynthia Foard at milynthia.foard@email.saintleo.edu.
