Since our inaugural "Freedom Rhymers" poetry event went so well, Left Turn Village is hosting another one Friday, May 17th from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST. This time....it's going to be IN-PERSON at Suite Metuchen located at 406 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ.
As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the theme will fittingly be Mental Health. Contestants will have five minutes to astound us with their original pieces surrounding any aspect of mental health. After contestants perform, audience members will have the opportunity to share on the open mic. Open mic pieces can be one to two minutes long, and do not have to be the performer's original work, though they should fall inline with the theme.
[Note: Space is limited to five Freedom Rhymer Contestants and approximately 10 open mic performers. All Contestants must be in person. Contest and open mic ️are both on first-come basis. There is no prize for open mic performers.]
Whether you're an experienced poet or a newcomer to the form, this event is a chance to connect with others, share your voice, and celebrate the power of poetry to inspire change. We hope to see you!
Freedom Rhymer Rules:
• There is room for 5 poets to grace the mic.
• Contestants are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Contestants must attend the event in-person.
• Contestants must be at least 18 years old.
• Each poet will have five minutes to perform as many pieces as they like (so long as it fits within the time allotted).
• Freedom Rhymer contestants must perform their own original work.
• Pieces must be themed around Mental Health
• Audience members will vote for their favorites after all five contestants have performed.
• Contestants will be judged on Content, Presence & Delivery, Dramatic Appropriateness and Overall Performance.
• Votes will determine the first ($100), second ($50), and third ($25) place winners.
• Contestants will retain all copyright
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Host: Tyree Oredein, DrPH (she/her)
Dr. Tyree Oredein, who's doctorate is in Public Health, has dedicated her personal and professional life to increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and access for People of Color, LGBTQ+ persons, People with Disabilities, and other marginalized groups. As the owner of Left Turn Village, she develops and delivers assorted workshops, trainings, and programming for various audiences covering an array of health and social justice related topics. Dr. Oredein is also an Assistant Professor at Montclair State University in the Department of Public Health and sits on the Board of Directors for several organizations.
Event Partners: C . Neptune Darby Consulting Services
CND is an event partner and will be speaking about mental health resources. CND Consulting helps empower organizational leadership to connect with their employees and cultivate emotional safety and change. They specialize in guiding the acknowledgment and mitigation of negative work spaces and cultures that contribute to organizational productivity and overall performance using trauma-informed care approaches, program plans, workshops, and professional development trainings. For more resources and information, visit their website at www.cndconsultinginc.com
Event Sponsor: Creatifsphere
Event Sponsor: CHULO Underwear
CHULO is the charitable and cultural clothing line featuring men's underwear, unisex tees and hoodies, and other gear that puts the "fun" in fundraising. Visit their website https://www.chulounderwear.nyc/
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Featured Contestants To Be Announced (Note: Contestants are on a first-come, first-serve basis)
