Poetry, music and personal storytelling filled the Multicultural Student Services Center on Thursday as students gathered for the fourth annual HERstory Open Mic Night in celebration of Women’s History Month.
The event created a space for members of the University of Rhode Island community to share creative work and personal experiences while uplifting women’s voices through spoken word and performance, according to Powerful Independent Notoriously Knowledgeable Women mentoring chair, Breecila Santos.
Guiding the evening was URI alumna Sara Monteiro, known publicly as Simply Sara, an award-winning poet and founder of the poetry series Outspoken LLC.
Returning to campus to lead the event carried deep and personal meaning, according to Monteiro.
“As an alum, it’s important for me to continue connecting with the community that helped shape me into the person I am today,” Monteiro said. “The Multicultural Center has been a safe space for me for over 20 years. I recited poetry in that space as a student and now as a business owner of my own poetry series … It’s a full-circle moment every time.”
The open mic featured ten performance slots for students, each given five minutes to present their work in any creative form, according to Monteiro. Participants shared poems, original songs, raps and written pieces reflecting on identity, personal growth and lived experiences.
“We allocate 10 slots for students to share out,” Monteiro said. “They have five minutes to express themselves however they see fit.”
The event created an environment where participants could speak openly about topics that affect them personally, according to Monteiro.
“This event is meant to be a bridge between Alumni and current students,” Monteiro said. “It’s a night where we honor emotional, physical and spiritual safety for all. It’s a night where students understand that it’s the appropriate space to speak on topics that affect them personally.”
Spoken word poetry is a powerful form of storytelling and advocacy, according to Monteiro.
“Poetry is my favorite mode of storytelling,” Monteiro said. “It’s also my favorite tool for advocacy. In the fight for civil rights for African American women have been at the forefront of the revolution with their pens.”
Beyond celebrating Women’s History Month, the event reflected the broader tradition of student self-expression and advocacy, which is present on campus, according to Monterio.
“Campuses themselves have long been places of advocacy and social reflection,” Monteiro said. “Open mics provide a platform where those voices can emerge through poetry, music and storytelling, allowing students to speak truth, process their experiences and connect with one another.”
In the coming years, both PINK Women and Monteniro hope participants and audiences will remember the importance of sharing their stories at future open mic nights.
