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THE
LOFT LITERACY CENTER, EQUILIBRIUM SPOKEN WORD SERIES,
Minneapolis
As the nation’s largest independent literary
center, The Loft Literacy Center strives to maintain
and improve the art and success of writing by supporting
local authors through competitions, grants, and
honoraria. Furthering its commitment to literature
and the literary community, The Loft has been able
to turn its efforts to anti-racism through their
program Equilibrium Spoken Word Series (EQ).
As
the brainchild of Bao Phi, The Loft’s associate
program director, the Equilibrium Spoken Word Series
was developed by and for young artists of color,
facilitating a forum where young people (ages 18-30
years of age) are able to freely express themselves
around challenging subjects that affect their lives
and shape their experiences. Artists and audiences
are able to participate in this series with a sense
of expression while maintaining respect for divergent
opinions and views. By engaging communities of color
across the board, EQ creates an environment where
unity is natural.
 
Now
in its eighth year, EQ has gained a devoted and
active following of spoken word fans. In 2008, it
recorded and released its first spoke word CD, “¿Nation
of Immigrants?”, that features 16 local spoken
work poets. The CD facilitates discussion and arguments
on immigration and identity while focusing on the
role that people of color have in transforming American
Culture. With critical acclaim, the CD has received
recognition from educators who are starting to use
it as a part of their curriculum to look at diverse
cultural perspectives.
The
Equilibrium Spoken Word Series also reaches out
to marginalized populations in Greater Minnesota
such as Willmar, East Lake, Saint Cloud and Fargo-Moorhead,
where audience members are encouraged to openly
discuss social issues affecting their own communities.
As a result, these audience members were able to
constructively address issues of concern to them
on topics of race, human rights, discrimination
and cross-cultural understanding.
Overall,
the Equilibrium Spoken Word Series covers a range
of topics from social justice concerns, discrimination,
exclusion, racism, classism, and homophobia, with
an emphasis on the validation and support of its
performers and audiences. Spoken word artists are
now finding an audience for their art form while
simultaneously engaging people from diverse cultural
and socio-economic backgrounds in open dialogue
about social issues affecting their communities.
Visit
the The Loft Literary Center: www.loft.org
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