Left Turn Village Launches “Freedom Rhymers” Poetry Contest and Open Mic in Time for Juneteenth
Left Turn Village is launching its inaugural Freedom Rhymers Poetry Contest & Open Mic. The new initiative is set to debut in time for Juneteenth and will be held via Zoom on Thursday, Jun 15, 2023 at 6:00 PM (EST). Space is limited to five poets. First, 2nd, and 3rd prizes are $100, $50, and $25 respectively. General admission tickets are $3. Tickets to enter as a contestant are $5.
- (1888PressRelease) June 12, 2023 - Left Turn Village (L.T.V.) is partnering with C. Neptune Darby Consulting Services, Inc., Veronica Marshall, and Joseph Graham Jr., to launch its inaugural Freedom Rhymers Poetry Contest and Open Mic- Juneteenth Edition. L.T.V. will host the event via Zoom on Thursday, Jun 15, 2023 at 6:00 PM (EST).
Under the umbrella of L.T.V., the “Freedom Rhymers” (all rights reserved), whose name was inspired by the “Freedom Riders'' of the Black Civil Rights Movement, is slated to be a consortium of poets and verbal artists who may be called upon to voice their lived experiences. “Poetry can be a tool to inspire change, cultivate community, and even educate about struggles, pride, and liberation”, says Dr. Tyree Oredein, owner of L.T.V. and lover of poetry. Dr. Oredein said in addition to the prize money, the winners of the competition may be invited to perform in future L.T.V. programming and workshops. Since the contest debuts in time for Juneteenth, the first edition will have a focus on the people of the Black Diaspora. However, future themes will span concepts related to other racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ identities, disability, religion, class, gender, colorisim, intersectionality, among others.
The Freedom Rhymers Poetry Contest and Open Mic event is intended to be a regular event for L.T.V. The initial contest will consist of five poets. Each person will have 5 minutes to perform their original works. In observance of the Juneteenth theme, the subject matter must pertain to the people, history, challenges, and triumphs of the Black Diaspora, though intersectional pieces that incorporate other marginalized identities are welcomed and encouraged. Audience members will vote for the top three poets and the “Freedom Rhymer” title. After contestants perform, the open mic portion will allow several audience members to share one- or two-minute works. While open mic performers don’t have to be the performer's original material, they must fall in line with the theme.
Along with the title of “Freedom Rhymer”, first, second, and third prizes were increased from $50, $30 and $20 to $100, $50, and $25 respectively. General admission tickets are $3. Tickets to enter as a Freedom Rhymer contestant are $5. Ticket prices are low so as not to be too cost prohibitive for either poets or audience members. Both contestant and audience tickets are available on a first-come basis and are available for purchase on Eventbrite at https://freedomrhymersjunteenth.eventbrite.com. This event will be an opportunity to connect with others, share voices, and celebrate the power of poetry.
LTV is a public health and social justice company which offers programming to help entities create safer, inclusive, and culturally competent spaces for People of Color, LGBTQ+ persons, People with Disabilities, and other marginalized groups. C. Neptune Darby Consulting Services Inc., Veronica Marshall, and Joseph Graham Jr., all offer mental health consulting services, and will be on hand to provide resources to help mitigate the impact racism has on mental health. Graham, better known as “PG” in many circles, is an author, professor, faith and mental health coach, CEO of Equity On Everything, LLC, and of course, a fellow poet.
For further information, contact Left Turn Village at leftturnvillage ( @ ) gmail dot com
###
space
space
Satisfied Users & 
Approved Press Releases
Print
Email
Report Spam