Poetry & Music Jam Event with local poets, Appalachian women poets, OU academic poets, international poets, poets of any gender, and open mic session for just about anyone who wants to read their own poetry or someone else’s. We’ll end up with a bar party and a group conversation for those who want to stay further.

Poet Laureate for Athens, Keri Gunter-Seymour, will be our guest of honor.
Mayor Steve Patterson has also confirmed his attendance and he will read a feminist poem.

WHY: “History is taking place in front of our eyes. We arriving at a time when women’s voices are beginning to rise and to gather momentum and strength, to speak up not for one but for many. This is a time for speaking out for all those who are afraid to speak”, Claudia Cisneros.

“Art, poetry, performance are splendid ways to bring this out in the open, to help us build an alternative, the dream of a possible world. For too long, words were mainly used to hurt and to dominate. But now it is the stories of the marginalized who were displaced from history that is starting to cross the continents and the borders. Poetry is a powerful ally in this struggle”, Violeta Orozco.

“It’s high time for men and people of all genders to join the conversation, for all of us to talk about how feminism impacts our lives; a time to reflect upon what women and men, and others, understand about feminism, sexism, harassment and all kinds of discrimination and violence; what are the boundaries and how are we understanding each other, if at all?; how do we go about adapting and adopting new or better habits in our public and private interactions?; how do we build a better community, a better society, and a better world together?”, Claudia Cisneros.

“#SpeakUpWoMEN is the first of a series of events to promote a healthy debate and get-together among the genders for a better and safer community in Athens.  We believe that poetry and art can be catalysts for social change and also an instrument to help us all break the terrible tyrant of silence”, Violeta Orozco.

So bring out your poems and musical instruments and join the jam at the end!

Musicians, Poets, and Non-poets who want to participate can contact:

• Claudia Cisneros (journalist and activist, Master student at OU’s Communication and Development, & Journalism Programs cc105217@ohio.edu 740-590-7116
• Violeta Orozco (poet and feminist activist, Master student at OU’s Spanish Literature Department)  vo171417@ohio.edu 740-590-7578