By Aryka Randall, Contributing Writer
Black artists are thriving in San Diego and the community is in support of holding space for them. On April 19th, The San Diego Black Arts and Culture District hosted “The Power of Poetry: A Spoken Word” mixer at the Synergy Centre on Imperial Avenue. The event was thoughtfully curated by Rosanna Sanchez and led by spoken word poet and artist Kendrick Dial, who opened the evening with context on why creating space for Black artists in District 4 is so important.
The Power of Poetry featured three artists for the evening which were Ashley Nicole Wilkins, Louis Lake III, and Kelsey O. Daniels who is currently a part of the artist residency program at Thurgood Marshall College. All of their poetry was moving, and personal, and felt like a hug from an old friend you haven’t seen in a while.
Throughout the evening, attendees were also given the opportunity to get on the mic to share their talents. Several attendees took to the stage to share poetry on topics ranging from socioeconomics, to the challenges of moving through life in a Black body. No stone was left unturned.
Among the poetry was a number of musical performances throughout the evening that the audience thoroughly enjoyed. One of the performances was by Louis Lake III who shared his music while moving through the crowd to engage attendees. Patrons smiled and clapped as he performed to his heart’s content before ending his set with a riveting spoken word piece.
Another artist by the name of NiChelle Webb shared her new single titled ‘Feather in the Wind’ with the audience who enjoyed the melodic nature of the song.
The San Diego Black Arts and Culture District is doing a wonderful job making sure District 4 is a place where Black artists can thrive. The Power of Poetry was the district’s second event this year and the remaining two events will be held on Saturday, May 18th, and June 29th. Both events will celebrate Black music in all of its forms and you can find out more about those events by visiting the San Diego Black Arts and Culture District’s website at www. sdblackscd.org
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