A&E

Porsha O. gives passionate critique of society through poetry

By Deasia Hawkins ’18

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Last Wednesday, Apr. 20, Porsha Olayiwola, the 2014 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion and the 2015 National Poetry Slam Champion, graced the Chapel’s stage with her charmingly awkward jokes and posture. However, Porsha O. is not simply a poet; she is black feminist who believes in pixie dust, second chances and using poetry as a way to be heard, loved and free.

Although her performance was not well-attended, her voice lacked neither power nor passion. Porsha stood with her back straight and made eye contact with every audience member, demanding that they pay attention to all she is: a black woman who labels herself a dyke and who is angry with the world. Porsha’s confidence spread through the crowd as she recited her favorite poems and requested audience participation between readings.

In addition to her critiques of the systems in our society that oppress everyone who is not male and white, Porsha read haikus and original interpretations of fairytales that showed her yearning for a simpler time, when people could dream of happily ever afters without fear that those dreams would be ripped away.

The most well-received poem Porsha read was “Capitalism,” which focused on the country’s obsession with money and the systems of oppression that “make sure the hungry never get fed” and “the colored kids never go to college.” Porsha’s voice was augmented by snaps and murmurs of approval from the audience,

 proving that the issues she addressed were not personal but political.

One critique of Porsha’s performance is that she consistently apologized for her “awkward tendencies” and the explicit language used in her work. One audience member, however, rejected her apology and claimed that “[she] shouldn’t be sorry for expressing herself. [Her] voice needs to be heard. By speaking up, [she] is encouraging others to do the same and make a difference.”

During the reception, Porsha was able to talk in-depth about activism and the writing process with audience members, including students from Herkimer County Community College, a nearby community college. The reception was an intimate gathering which incited discussion about personal aspirations, fears and politics. As the reception came to an end, Porsha talked about her upcoming performance in Austria and stated that she would like to come back to Hamilton to perform or host a writing workshop.

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