In celebration of Women’s History Month, I thought I’d share some spoken word and slam poems by some amazing women. Here are 6 of my favorites. I hope they inspire you to look more into these incredible women as well as other incredible poets.
Sarah Kay – “If I Should Have A Daughter”
Sarah Kay is an American poet. Known for her spoken word poetry, Kay is the founder and co-director of Project V.O.I.C.E., founded in 2004, a group dedicated to using spoken word as an educational and inspirational tool.
(via kaysarahsera.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0snNB1yS3IE&t=523s
Melissa Lozada-Oliva – “Like Totally Whatever”
Melissa Lozada-Oliva is a spoken word poet & educator living in New York by way of Boston. She is the author of chapbooks Plastic Pajaros & Rude Girl is Lonely Girl!(pizza pi press) & peluda (Button Poetry), which explores the intersecting narratives of body image, hair removal & Latina identity. Her works have been featured on Buzzfeed, REMEZCLA, Glamour Magazine, Huffington Post, Upworthy, The Guardian, and her mom’s Facebook statuses. She is currently an MFA candidate at New York University.
(via melissalozadaoliva.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me4_QwmaNoQ
Rachel Rostad – “To JK Rowling, from Cho Chang”
Rachel Rostad is a writer and public speaker. She’s The recipient of an Academy of American Poets Prize, and her work has been covered by Upworthy, Mic.com, and Jezebel.
(via maskmagazine.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFPWwx96Kew
Dominique Christina – “The Period Poem”
Dominique Christina is an award-winning poet, author, educator, and activist. She holds five national poetry slam titles in four years, including the 2014 & 2012 Women of the World Slam Champion and 2011 National Poetry Slam Champion. Her work is greatly influenced by her family’s legacy in the Civil Rights Movement and by the idea that words make worlds.
(via dominiquechristina.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vu2BsePvoI
Franny Choi – “Pussy Monster”
Franny Choi is a writer, performer, and educator. She is the author of Floating, Brilliant, Gone (Write Bloody, 2014) and the chapbook Death by Sex Machine (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2017). She has been a finalist for multiple national poetry slams, and her poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, American Poetry Review, the New England Review, and elsewhere. She is a Kundiman Fellow, Senior News Editor for Hyphen, co-host of the podcast VS, and member of the Dark Noise Collective.
(via frannychoi.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sunQ9UxZsZ8
Denice Frohman – “Dear Straight People”
Denice Frohman is an award-winning poet, writer, performer, and educator. Born and raised in New York City, she is a CantoMundo Fellow, 2014 National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures grant recipient, 2013 Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion, 2013 Hispanic Choice Award winner (Creative Artist of the Year), and former Leeway Transformation Award recipient. She has been commissioned by ESPN, Twitter, mitú, the City of Philadelphia (“UnLitter Us” Campaign), and GALAEI (Gay and Lesbian Latino Aids Education Initiative).
(via denicefrohman.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5frn8TAlew0