New Video Featuring a Powerful Poem from Duncan Slagle, Plus the #BeHeard16 Send Off Show

Lots happening, as always. Three thoughts:

1. New Poem Video: Duncan Slagle's "Salem"

Thinking about young people being courageous and brilliant, and how important it is for us to listen to them. Here's a brand new video of Duncan, one of the ‪#‎BeHeard16‬ team members, with some powerful words on victim-blaming, scapegoating, and rape culture.

2. The #BeHeard16 Send Off Show: June 17

I'll be performing alongside Duncan and the whole team at the Be Heard MN Youth Poetry Slam Series Team SEND OFF SHOW is this coming Friday (7pm at the UMN Rarig Center; only $5).

Desdamona, Danez Smith, Khary Jackson, and members of the TruArtSpeaks Youth Advisory Board will be performing as well. That's quite a lineup, so if you're in the Twin Cities and into spoken word, do not miss it.

It's also the team's last performance before they head to Brave New Voices to rep Minnesota, and we can't wait for you to see what they've been working on.

More details, parking/transportation info, and a link to reserve tickets ahead of time here.

3. Orlando

Just one small addition to the larger conversation. Thanks to Sierra, Abeer, Igor, and the thousands of other voices (especially LGBTQ Latinx voices) driving the anti-homophobia, anti-Islamophobia, anti-"thoughts and prayers and nothing else" narrative that's so important.