Writing of our Pasts for the Sake of Freedom

quick update

In an earlier blog, I mentioned the struggle with owning my weight and being transparent about my journey. Well, let me lead off this week’s post by saying that I am definitely back in the game! Since my last post, I am down 22.5lbs, and I have taken on a squat challenge
with a friend of mine. Let me just say, we are killing the game. 4 a.m. workouts are no joke, but we are doing it! So look out for more updates regarding my journey.

photo cred: Josh Collins

The 5th Woman is just a few days from showtime. Our preparation to deliver a power packed show has been painfully beautiful, to say the least. When we are not preparing for the show, all of us ladies lead full lives that keep us on our toes. Whether it be hosting a photoshoot, protesting and defending Palestinian rights, prepping media, sharing music, making coffee, teaching math classes, coaching softball, choreographing a spring showcase, and rearing primary school children all at the same time. Defining the lives of our team as simple would be an understatement. What I love most, though, is that even with all the chaos in our lives, one thing rings true in the voices of the 5th Woman: we all understand the battle of our words coming to life.

Several of the pieces that we will share in our upcoming show center around the various heart cries of women. Each voice is uniquely different bearing its own weight in the world from cries full of pain to stories filled with infectious smiles and laughter. What I enjoy most about our work is the battle to stay true to the essence of each our poems. Staying true is reflected in our ability to perform pieces as if they occurred just yesterday.

Sometimes, when we rehearse lines, we have to edit them to solidify the meaning of our message. And I love this because it’s so reflective of the way life works. We have to practice preserving the message of our work while keeping in mind that life goes on. We evolve. We grow past the moments that we’re writing about. And as time inevitably ticks away, we may even change our minds about the topics that we touch. However, our poems are still relevant pieces that can be healing for the people who need to hear them--at any time. This kind of performance often requires us to step back into our pasts so that we may authentically share.

I love the challenge of stepping back into a piece for two reasons. The first reason is the practice of gratitude. I am thankful because I am learning to lead a life full of no regrets. In the words of one of my beloved students, I am “learning to make grape juice from lemons, while you wonder how I did it”. I am learning to be grateful for the hard places that were so painful. I am learning to relish the sweet poems that reflect what may seem inconsequential to some, but life-giving to me. I am thankful.

The second reason is the practice of vulnerability. If you read my previous blog entry, I talked a lot about being transparent.  Being real is so important to me! When I die, I want people to say that I was never fake. I want people to remember me because I wasn’t afraid to share the grittiest truth--especially if that means I am the bridge to someone’s freedom.

Stepping back into our pasts for the sake of freedom reminds me of the movies Groundhog’s Day, Déjà vu, and Looper. These movies share a theme of reliving the same sequences over and over until solutions are found. Similarly, poets share some of the same pieces over and over because our pieces are layered. There are new nuggets of truth to be found with each listen. This is the beauty of the battle for our words to come to life. We hope you’ll join us next weekend, May 20 - 21, 2017, in these layered pieces that have been rehearsed from our hearts.

You Must Live

Photo Cred: Josh Collins Photography, 2016

I am tired of broken hearts and empty promises. I am tired of lost dreams and killing inspiration in the name of realism. I am tired of losing hope. I seem to be surrounded by a lot of this lately, but I still believe in great love. I believe in dreaming big. I believe we can actually change the world if we want to. You may call this naive optimism, but I call it faith. It's a risk. And it scares me, too.  Honestly, I don't know how to live another way. This kind of living makes the ground hurt a little worse when I fall because the higher the dream is, the harder the fall.  But, I must always find the strength to get up and try again. I wish I could tell you I felt stronger each time a dream fell--each time I was disappointed in someone or something, but that's not always true.

After my two-year relationship fell apart, I took a year to get myself back together. I casually dated but never risked real feelings for anyone. I wasn't ready. I spent a lot of time in prayer and growing in community with the Lord. It was one of the best yet, hardest years of my life. It was equal parts terrible and beautiful.  It's not an easy thing to have your heart shattered. I needed that year to find my identity again. So, I did just that. Looking back, I'm thankful for the refinement. I'm thankful I have a God who always redeems and always works things together for my good. However, please hear me when I say, faith in God does not evaporate pain.

If you are grieving the loss of a relationship the only advice I can give is to walk directly through the pain. Stare it in the face. Cry.  Then, laugh at how bad it can be. Laughter makes everything better. Believe me--I know. Imagine sitting with your boyfriend’s parents at his graduation while his side-chick is death-staring you 20 feet away. If that isn't an episode of a reality show--I don't know what is!

After a year of healing, I decided I was ready to pursue a relationship again. I met someone. Someone I would have NEVER expected. The polar opposite of my previous boyfriend. He inspired me to  believe that I could love again. I dreamed higher with him, but, unfortunately, it didn't work. It still hurt, even though we weren’t fully attached, yet. The truth is, that though I may have been ready, he was not.

So, I have come to this place again, where I have to decide what I'm going to do with closed doors. Do I knock? Do I wait? Do I sit down on the stoop and mope? No. No. No. That is not who I am. That is not the daughter of the King. That is not who I would want my sister to be. That is not the example I want to leave for those that look up to me. Sometimes, you have to look in the mirror, boss up and take your own advice.

So, I say to myself, live.

Live. You must Live. Live boldly. Turn from closed doors recognizing the entire world you have right in front of you. A door you should walk through will open on its own. Keep loving. Keep dreaming. Keep getting your hopes up. The world needs more people that still believe. Your great love is coming.

Why I Write Poems and Share Them With the World

Photo Cred: Stu Boyd

I was ten when I was first introduced to the art of spoken word poetry during the movie, Anne of Green Gables. In the opening scene, Anne Shirley walks through the woods dramatically reading lines from her favorite poem, Lady of Shallot, by Alfred Tennyson. Her eyes are dazed. You can tell that she's imagining the scene she's reading:

willows whiten,
aspens quiver,
little breezes dusk and shiver,
through the wave that runs forever,
by the island in the river
flowing down to Camelot.

From that moment, my little heart fell in love with poetry. Yet, it was not until I was nineteen years old that I began to share my poetry publicly. At that point I knew nothing about the world of Slam Poetry (a context in which spoken word poetry is most often shared), I just knew that I had words and stories inside of me that I needed to get out. I knew that it wasn't enough for those words to be read on paper or on the internet (my secret Tumblr), they needed to be read aloud. And so, with brave trepidation and a shaky voice to match, I leaned in and read my poems everywhere I could.

Slam Poetry is a space in which writers are permitted to share a spoken word piece in under three minutes in competition with other writers. The poet is judged by an audience based on content, performance, and time (you can read more about slam poetry here). When I began to venture into the world of slam, I was thoroughly impressed by the ways in which people shared their poems so vulnerably and passionately. Yet,though I was eager to soak up all I could learn about this art form, I became self-conscious of my creative voice. I heavily doubted the power of my words because when I first began writing poetry, it was not for the microphone. My early poems did not fit neatly into the competitive culture of slam poetry. It has taken me a while to navigate through these insecurities (and some days, I still deal with them). But, I have realized something in the process of embracing my voice: I do not write for the Poetry Slam.

I do not write for the three minutes of attention. 
I do not write for the applause.
I do not write for the "sake" of being raw or vulnerable or risky.
I do not write to slam my poems.

My words are worth more than a three minute competition and a possible cash prize. However enjoyable spoken word competitions are, poetry exists to do more than be slammed.

This is Not About Slam Poetry

Spoken word is a performance of poetry or prose that is spoken aloud with conviction. You might experience spoken word performance in living rooms, at coffee shops, at speakeasies, and in bars. This kind of expression can often feel like one of two things:

1.  the feeling of a sudden ice bath, full of shock and with the need to readjust the body to accommodate all of the truths that might strip away at our cultural misconceptions
2. the feeling of an early summer sun on skin, a gentle warmth that affirms the things that we feel passionately about

Here at the 5th Woman, we write to illuminate womanhood and the varied expressions and experiences of femininity in our culture. We do this because, for centuries, women have had their stories buried. Their names have been erased from manuscripts and the feminine footprint has fallen lost on the eyes of history across culture and globe.

As women,
we have been asked
to close our mouths
to close our legs
or to open them
to keep working
to heal quickly
to suck it up
to enjoy pain
to love monsters
and to raise them, too.

But there is a softly rising rebellion inside of each of us--it's a desire for justice and we have named it Poetry. For us, poetry is part of what happens when we allow our voices a space to speak honestly and be heard for all that they're worth. That's why we get up to the microphone and share verses on what healing from rape feels like, what it feels like when love harms the body, when trust is broken, and the heartache of being torn from our origins and forced to fit inside of nailed-shut boxes made of cultural "norms" that do not belong to us.

We are poets because we are tired of living inside of these boxes. We are poets because we keep the wild belief that our words are powerful enough to break out of spaces that exist to imprison our feminine expressions and mute our voices.

For me, one of the hardest parts of writing performance poetry is the brutal honesty. It's so risky to take the matters of my heart and craft them into a string of words with hope that someone might understand my kind of story a bit better. The work of honesty--even in fun and humorous poetry--can feel vulnerable and exhausting. But if the result of honesty is freedom, then it is so worth it. Through the art of spoken word, we have the opportunity to open our mouths and set both ourselves and others free; to unveil the beauty of all of the parts of womanhood that have been silenced into shame.

This is why I'm here. This is why I write. This why I overcome my shyness, and I share my poems on microphones. We are here for healing, truth, and hope, too. We don't shy away from hard topics. We choose to lean in, because people need us to--we need us to.  We are here, not for the applause of the poetry slam, but to use our voices to cultivate freedom and celebrate the shapes, textures, and story lines of human beings. 

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We're raising $4,500 by May 5, 2017. Will you help us build the 5th Woman? Learn more at the link below!

You Are Winning

This week has been entirely too chaotic. Every ounce of my day has been allotted and stress has been boiling over. I usually pride myself on the idea that I can say no and turn down engagements that will overload my life. However, this week I have truly been tested. Each night I lay down hoping to fall asleep quickly, yet my mind continues to race. All the things I need to do. All the things I didn’t have time to finish. OVERWHELMING. On top of a move, I have had the largest poetry slam of the year, preparation for Poetry vs. Hip Hop, a field trip at school (if you are a teacher, you know how much effort goes into a single field trip), teaching a poetry workshop for high school students, curating art for a new app, leading youth group at my church, and participating in a women’s small group. Don’t even think about having a normal dating life and never mind eating right and actually getting a decent workout. Summer body--who needs it?

Just yesterday, as I was picking up my Chick-Fil-A drive-thru dinner, it hit me: I want to remember to be thankful. I am seeing the fruit of my labor and success in my art. I am busy because I am gaining more opportunities. People are requesting me for poetry and choreography. I’m being trusted with more opportunities for leadership in my church. Chains are falling.  My community is strong. Love is there. So sure, I have a lot on my plate, but it’s a pretty fantastic plate and I am filled.

As I go in and out of chaotic seasons, I want to remember to breathe and find rest in the midst of the mess. I do not quite have that figured out yet. (If you have any suggestions… DM me lol) But I do think it’s possible. Yes, it may not be wise to overload your schedule. You may need to say no to some things. But on weeks like this; when everything seems to happen all at once, embrace it. Do your best. Look around and realize … you are winning.

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30 Days All or Nothing. Help us reach our goal of $4,500 by May 5th! Learn more here: The 5th Woman Kickstarter

Till Death Do Us Part

Photo Cred: Jasmine Newton

I have never believed in marriage. In fact, marriage has always been a bad word to me, as it was always a negative force in my own life. My parents never had a wedding. They got married at the courthouse and hid it from my mother’s parents for as long as they were able. There were never any photos or romantic stories of flowers and colors and dresses, just cynical musings about my mother’s white pantsuit and my father’s indifference. When I think of my parents’ marriage, I think of screaming and thrown objects and packing for my grandparents’ house after a particularly bad fight. Marriage was never the best thing for my family; in fact, we celebrate its conclusion. My parents’ divorce was finalized on my grandparents’ wedding anniversary, and we celebrate both with equal elation. Although we have never fulfilled our wish of having an official divorce cake, my mother and I send texts to each other every September 17th: “Happy Divorce Day!”

As I studied more history and sociology and got more plugged into the activist scene, marriage took on even more of a negative association. Marriage is an invention of the patriarchy in which a woman’s father trades her virginity for three goats, and anyone who is familiar with my poetry knows how much I love to smash the social construction of virginity. You get married and your life is over. You take your husband’s last name, and your entire identity is subsumed within his. “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.” You literally become your husband. From Disney movies to ever more elaborate wedding announcements, our culture constantly reminds us that women are not complete unless they are legally attached to a man.

With all my disdain for marriage, I am a person with a deep need for security and stability. I always knew this about myself, but the more “adulting” I do, the more I realize this is the case. I am an introvert; rather than spending time in large groups, I like to have a couple close friends and a close partner. I like having someone to go home to. Someone who knows where my keys are when I don’t and makes sure I don’t sleep through all my alarms. The idea of a lifelong stable partner is comforting to me. For the first time, I am in a relationship with someone I can envision as the father of my children. The fanfare, the fantasy, and the ever-growing number of engagement and bridal shower and wedding photos on Facebook make it even more tempting.

My conflicting feelings about marriage beg the question: to marry, or not to marry? I am in love with my boyfriend, but I am cynical enough to know that things happen and people change. I worry about doing it too young, with the inevitable prospect of job changes and traveling and big moves. And there is pressure from millenial activist circles to reject the institution of marriage and live in rebellious domestically partnered sin; if you buy in, you’re a sellout. So what is a virginity-hating, patriarchy-smashing feminist to do?

After a lot of tossing and turning over the m-word, I’m thinking I’ll eventually take the plunge. Monogamy and lifelong partnership is not for everyone, but I think it might be for me. But if I’m going to do it, I have to do it in a way that relieves my feminist conscience. And this means getting to do some really cool things, from a nontraditional ethical engagement ring to perhaps even being the one to propose. Keeping my last name. A gothic death-themed wedding (“Till Death Do Us Part”). Red and black colors, with a red dress, not a white one, because everyone knows it’s too late for purity. Traditional Palestinian wedding songs. Slam poetry vows. The wedding and the reception all in the same place. Sidekicks instead of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Perhaps a flower boy; f*&% the gender binary. If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it loud and rebellious with two middle fingers as I dance down the aisle (by myself). Because tax breaks are fun, and because marriage doesn’t have to be a defining moment in a woman’s life. It can just be an invitation to join her along her wild, unpredictable journey.

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"I am fat!"

So, it took a while for me to decide on what I wanted to blog about this week. Truthfully, the only reason it took a while was because I was really afraid to talk about the most obvious and visible issue that is prevalent in my own personal life, being fat. Yesterday, the 5th Woman cast was featured in the Women of Jazz Jam Festival 2017. Each lady shared a poem of their choice, and I elected to share one of my most vulnerable pieces that I had recently written. After the first stanza of sharing a really embarrassing scenario of what it is like to be overweight at a theme park, I boldly proclaimed that “I am fat!” As oddly as it may sound, that awkwardly bold moment was very liberating and powerful for me. Why? I have been so entangled with striving to fix myself and seeing results, that I haven’t enjoyed the journey to get there. When you are a poet, on a stage in the spotlight, you have the power to create whatever picture you want your audience to experience. In that very moment, as painful as it was, I owned my truth, I’m overweight. With that being said, I find it necessary to provide a back story to my weight loss journey. About this time last year, I lost fifty pounds as a result of hard work, strenuous exercise, and strict dieting. I have never been more proud of myself. Day after day, I made myself drink a gallon of water, count calories, and adhere to a strict paleo diet. It was clear that my success was noted by my friends and family. I became much more confident. I shined, but my progress was unfortunately short lived. I gained all of my weight back, as a result of being injured during a softball game and battling depression from my immobility. As much as I wanted to become thin, my life choices wouldn’t allow for it. I stopped exercising because I couldn’t, and I was back to eating whatever I wanted. Where am I going with this? I tend to think that a major part of growth and change is understanding the past and its role in the present.  

Like I explained earlier, as a poet, I can get on a stage and put on whatever show I’d like. I had habit of doing just that. I wrote a poem entitled “Big Mama” that addresses hyper sexuality amongst big women as a form of confidence in the midst of insecurity. Originally, I wrote the piece in the third person because the poem was actually not about me. The subject of the piece came about from an encounter I had with a full-figured woman at a slam poetry contest who had delivered a poem full of self-bolstering sexual innuendos. In my eyes, all of metaphors for her bedroom capabilities was a bit much and more detrimental to her proclaimed strength. However, in terms of my piece, one of my poetry coaches encouraged me to spit this particular poem in first person to make it more impactful. My heart kicked and screamed because I didn’t want to be seen or heard from as the ‘token big girl’ especially with me trying to lose weight. Nonetheless, I started performing the piece in first person, and I scored much higher at slams with that small but major change. Overtime, I learned that when writing people tend to respond to vulnerable writing; people want honesty. People crave to hear words that speak to exactly to where they are or where they’ve been. Even I, the writer, have grown from writing and sharing pieces of myself that leave me exposed.

Being a big girl is not really my issue. Yes, I desire to be a smaller size, but my aim is to be healthy and whatever that looks like. After writing a piece about my weight, I have learned my frustration comes from the lack of discipline and consistency. As a result of those issues, my weight problem just happens to be a tangible and visible byproduct of my struggle. It sucks, but being fat doesn’t equate to worthlessness. I can still stand confidently in all of who I am and command respect. I am a queen! I have learned to stop shaming myself for not being exactly where I want to be or where people think I should be. I’m not going to stop pushing myself to achieve my personal goals, but I am going to learn to smell the roses of today. If that means proclaiming my royal thickness on a stage in front of hundreds of people, then so be it. I am fat and not ashamed!

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On Growth

Photo Cred: Jasmine Newton

I love growth. Growth is what makes you stronger and wiser every day. Especially when you allow it to happen. When you allow it in. I don’t mean that easy kind of growth either. I mean that hard, in tears, painful to go through growth. I have gone through this type of growth for a while and it has gotten to the point where I welcome it. I have seen what it does. I have seen what it turns me into, how it works its way inside and changes me for the better. The hard part it… I don’t like change. I automatically push against it because of fear. Fear of losing my comfort zone. When you go through a good stage of growth… it forces you to move outside your comfort zone. It forces you to have no choice but to get comfortable outside that comfort zone you were once used to. Growth used to be my enemy… now I see it as an old friend. A friend that is visiting because I am due for another “come to Jesus” meeting. I am due for another “talking to”. When you decide that you want to change your life, whether it’s being a better person, starting a business, getting married, becoming more successful, etc… you will have to be ready for what you asked for. When you have REALLY made that decision and told the universe and God what you want… get ready to be tested and molded into what you need to become in order to get there. A lot of us aren’t usually ready for the shock of it all… the pain… the demand that is put upon us when we want something. We think we can just ask… and get it. It doesn’t always work that way. It takes work, pain, demands, sacrifice… GROWTH. However, through the darkness there is always light that comes in due time and chases it away. Once you have worked, put enough effort, time, sacrificed and GROWN…. You usually reach your goal. It is part of becoming better. It is a preparation to your greatness.

Now when I see pain… trials… sacrifice… I welcome it all because I recognize what it’s about. My growth. If I am given the chance…. The challenge to grow… it means the universe and God said yes to my request but not without a cost. You just have to decide if the cost is too great or if your goal is worth it. You have to make that decision every day to reach for your greatness and GROW into it with joy. Joy that you are on your way. Never look at it in dismay. WELCOME it. Welcome it with open arms and embrace the lesson it will teach you. Embrace the stage will be leveling up to. Lean in to the pain and face it head on. Before you know it, your goal is reached. And that will be glorious.

Introducing The 5th Woman 2017 Cast

So its been like forever since we posted anything. Mainly because the 5th Woman has been undergoing some serious changes. Relaunching and revamping our look, our focus, and our style. However, none of that matters anymore because we are back and you will see a major difference in our presence online, in the community and around the world. If you haven't already, make sure you subscribe to T5W TV, the Youtube channel for all things 5th Woman. You will be able to see exclusive footage of the cast of the 5th Woman 2017. So without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the cast.

New to the 5th Woman, Summer Awad promises to open our eyes to so many different views of sexuality, womanhood, and empowerment. Summer is an amazing poet, playwright, performer, activist and more. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat!

Returning from the cast of 2016, Daje Morris is an amazing voice that is developing and expanding as a musician, singer, songwriter, and poet.  Her poetry will provide you with a new vision and expose you to new ideas never before considered. Daje is technology guru so you can find her on all social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and more.  Just reach out and let her know that you are excited about her being a part of the cast.

Also returning from the 2016 cast, Jasmine "BabyJ" Newton returns with her candid personality and point of view that always keeps the audience wanting more truth.  Baby J hosts the poetry slams that the 5th Woman presents and can move from behind the camera to being a model with ease.  She is an entrepreneur, a mother, a wife, a radio hostess, and all around superwoman. You can find BabyJ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and her website http://www.jwayphoto.com

The last time that I appeared in a 5th Woman stage show, I was on stage with 3 amazing poets that helped me be a better person and a better friend.  Two of those ladies are returning to the stage after participating in 2016 as artists in other capacities, Olivia "Origins" Riggins and Desiree "Dezigner" Seay are returning as part of the poet cast.  Olivia is an amazing teacher and dancer that found words at a rough time in life and has used her artistic connection to the world to make her one of the strongest female poets of the Southern Region.  Desiree is a drummer, singer, teacher, and so much more that has participated as a member of the slam team and allowed her life and struggles to be revealved candidly through her poetry.  So rounding out the cast we have the experience from writers that will reveal the power of women and spirituality through their words and ability to share so openly.  I connecet with Olivia and Desiree through Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.   Don't hesitate to reach out and show them love!

So it goes without saying that this will be the best 5th Woman Stage Show ever.   These poets are amazing and you don't wanna miss their hearts laid out on the stage to empower, educate, and motivate women from all walks of life.  I love the diversity of this cast from so many different cultures.  Don't miss it!  The 5th Woman 2017 is going to blow you away.

All photos by JWay Photography (http://www.jwayphoto.com)

By: Rhea Sunshine

The 5th Woman News

May 20 Slam featuring Origgins - What an amazing night! We were in a new location, Bar Marley and the location paired with the amazing show that was April 23, 2016 made the night so worth it! We had our largest audience to date at the slam and Origgins did an amazing job in her first feature performance ever. She shared poetry that encouraged all women to be their best self as well as empowered those that may have experienced a broken heart. It was amazing and to see a poet that came from the 5th Woman make her debut as a featured artist really made it all worth it. Alternate Roots Grant Assistance - I have always wanted to be able to do more for the poets that put in the work to make the 5th Woman what it has become. This year I was able to do that because of the Artistic Assistance Grant from Alternate ROOTS Funds are made available by The Nathan Cummings Foundation, The Ford Foundation, the Surdna Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Season Passes - So I had this great idea to do season passes for the next season. They are available through August and you can save money. The sooner you get them the more money you save. Remember that slams are $5 in advance each month and your ticket to The 5th Woman 2017 is included in the season pass. Those tickets are $20 per person! So go ahead and get your season pass now and save yourself some money in the long run!

Features - We are building the calendar for the next season. If there is a poet you would like to see or hear from, let me know. If you are a poet that wants to feature at the 5th Woman let me know. You can also just contact me because you want to share your story as a part of the 5th Woman 2017.

Tell It All Web Series - We are getting ready to really amp up the episodes of Tell it All, so make sure you subcribe to T5W youtube channel for all things that have to do with the 5th Woman!

Thanks for your continued support!

Tell It All Episode 1

The very first episode of Tell It All Video Blog is out there for you to hear about the story of my life in under 2 minutes!!! You can hear about my struggle through life with autoimmune diseases. Sometimes life is a struggle, but I keep on pushing! I hope you enjoy this short story and come back for the next episode to be released April 17 by midnight!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8FJZeK8doI&feature=youtu.be

The 5th Woman 2016

We will have the 3rd Annual 5th Woman stage presentation on April 23, 2016. Tickets are $20 and $10 for adults and students respectively. The show will be amazing and you don't want to miss it! Here is a list of all the people that will be performing, poetry, dance, music, and art! Queen Sheba - Atlanta,GA Taria "The Realest" Person - Atlanta, GA Kimbi "The Goddess" Tiez - Greeneville, SC Daje Morris - Knoxville, TN Jasmine "BabyJ" Newton - Knoxville, TN Danielle Taylor Rhea Carmon Olivia Riggins Jake Forsten Chauncey Whitlock Kari Sanders Ken Easterly Brandon Whitaker Ebony Petty Shajaun Lewis Carla Rogers Kristen "KC" Harris Cheri Siler Elnita Sessions Ty Smith Endia Williams

So don't miss this monumental night of great poetry and art! Get your tickets at http://www.eventbee.com/event?eid=131846793

Don't miss it!

February is Black Atticus month....

It seems as though it is becoming tradition so from here on out...February is Black Atticus month.  He has been our feature for this month for the last 2 years and we welcome him back to our mic to wow and amaze us again with his fantastic words and innovative outlook on life.  I am so excited about this talent coming through and blessing the mic.  It will be awesome!  

https://www.facebook.com/events/557453597747504/

Steve Shell Was Amazing

That is really all I can say. He came through the slam and did the dang thing.  It was awesome to hear his take on the world, religion, love, and more.....If you haven't been coming to the slams you have really been missing a treat. Not to mention the slam was great too....We had 6 poets that will make up the slam team that we send to Southern Fried!  I am happy to announce

Drew Drake

Origins

RheaSunshine

STARR

Dezigner

and the alternate Lil' Mama!

This is going to be a great year for the 5th Woman Slam, so don't miss out!

The 5th Woman 2015 - 16 Season

I am so excited about this next season.  The 5th Woman Slam Team Reloaded did great things at Southern Fried 2015 in Little Rock, AR and now its time to start another year.  Here is a current list of what we already have lined up for the year! June 19 - The 5th Woman Slam featuring Courageous the Poet

July 17 - The 5th Woman Slam featuring Tavis Brunson

August 21 - The 5th Woman Slam

September 18 - The 5th Woman Slam featuring Kimbi the Goddess

October 16 - The 5th Woman Slam (fundraiser)

November 20 - The 5th Woman Slam featuring Boris "Bluz" Rogers

December 18 - The 5th Woman Slam Off and Fundraiser

January 21 - The 5th Woman Slam

February 19 - The 5th Woman Slam

March 18 - The 5th Woman Slam featuring the 5th Woman 2016 Cast

April 15 - The 5th Woman Slam - Slammasters Birthday Bash

April 22 - The 5th Woman On Stage

May 20 - The 5th Woman Slam featuring Team Reloaded

We will offer season passes to all events during the July Slam!  Don't miss out!

Dasan Ahanu "For My Nanna"

Dasan Ahanu showing love from Bull City, NC.  He shares words and poetry about why he loves women and pays tribute to his Nanna!  Check it out and show lots of love! https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155419984260438

Queen Sheba is featuring March 20!

Queen Sheba is coming from Atlanta, GA to feature for the 5th Woman Poetry Slam, but she also posted this awesome poem to kick off our month of poets loving women!  Check her out and come out on March 20 to see her do the dang thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKdyklSVUiQ&feature=youtu.be

Fayetteville, NC represents

LeJuane El'Ja Bowens shares his thoughts and a poem for women in support of "The 5th Woman".  Its absolutely amazing how many poets have shown up to support this show.  Share the blog with your friends and family so that they can be encouraged as women too!  

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155277217710076&pnref=story

Tavis Brunson supports "The 5th Woman" 2015

http://instagram.com/p/z3P7wqvwjC/

Poets Support "The 5th Woman" in March

Its amazing that poets are so family oriented.  So for the month of March, a different poet is posting a video every day on "The 5th Woman" Facebook page.  Make sure you stop by and share your thoughts and feelings everyday so that we can know what you are thinking.  Why do you love women or being a woman? Everybody has a reason and everyone has at least one woman in their life that they love.  The 5th Woman is to bring all lovers of women and women together to share in a night/nights of poetry , music, dance, and theatre so that we can bond and get over the petty stuff.

Tickets are on Sale!!! $20 don't miss it!

http://www.eventbee.com/event?eid=168526933 You can get your tickets up until the day before the show.  On the day of the show they will be $25 at the door, so go ahead and get them early.  Group rates are available if you contact Rhea Carmon through email at rheacarmon@gmail.com