Poetry: since its conception it has been a medium that has allowed people to openly express themselves, however this leads to the question of where someone today would find a place that allows people to engage with it.
The Providence Poetry Slam, also dubbed ProvSlam, is an organization that is situated in downtown Providence. It has been in operation for over the past 20 years, according to its website. Its mission is simple: to create community through poetry. ProvSlam provides those who are interested a platform to learn through coaching and workshops, and perform through their event nights hosted on every first and third Thursday of the month.
The organization operates through donations and its staff is entirely volunteer based. Naffi Koulibaly is one of the organization’s co-directors.
“It can be any kind of space that you want it to be,” Koulibaly said. “It’s a place to be seen, to hear someone say something on stage that you agree with, that you feel something new that you have never heard.”
Koulibaly has been involved with ProvSlam since she was a teenager, first starting out as an attendee before moving her way up to become a staff member for over a decade. This is her first year as co-director.
“Just hearing a new way of thinking or a new way of writing has always been really inspiring to me,” Koulibaly said. “I think that’s my favorite part about it.”
Featured poets are also a prominent part of ProvSlam’s events. They typically have a longer set, lasting around 30 minutes, where they share their work along with their merchandise.
The most recent of these speakers was Sharmont “Influence” Little, a poet from New Haven, Connecticut.
While he works as a nurse, poetry has remained an integral part of Little’s life ever since he was young.
“My father was a stickler for education,” Little said. “I had to read the dictionary everyday… That’s how I got started with my love of words and poetry and stuff like that.”
His work is primarily inspired by what’s around him, Little said. This includes his family life, his community, the problems that urban communities face and education for young people.
Over the past 20 years, Little has built his company, Influence A Life, around these ideas. Through Influence A Life, Little travels around the country and world, running workshops where he can engage and leave a strong impression on his young audience with his fiery passion for words.
“My poetry and what I do helps people’s livelihoods,” Little said. “Giving young artists the platform that I used to become nationally, internationally known is a big thing to me.”
Little also stressed the fact that poetry saved his life, as it acted as a way for him to get his thoughts and emotions out into the world so that others could hear.
“It addresses my concerns, my doubts, my fears and it just so happens that people enjoy listening to what I have to say about me,” said Little. “Poetry is therapeutic. Without it I don’t know how I would survive.”
As for ProvSlam, things are going steady. Over the next few years the organization hopes to add more writing classes and literary programming into their schedule as a way to further expand their community.
The Providence Poetry Slam is hosting another open mic night along with a poetry slam on Thursday, March 7. Anyone can sign up for either event, and the venue is located at 115 Empire St. in downtown Providence, with doors opening at 7 p.m.. For further information, those interested can visit their Instagram page, @provslam, or their website, www.provslam.org .
As for Little, he can be found on Instagram @influence_a_life, or on his website, www.influencealife.com , for more information regarding his future performances and company.