on September 15th, 2022, i was awarded my first feature as a spoken word artist and i would love to share how beautiful the experience was.

for all those who participate in spoken word, you know that featuring is the beginning of starting to monetize what you do and make it into a profession.

for those who don’t know, a feature is sanctioned as the pinnacle spotlight artist of the night who gets paid for sharing a number of pieces. they have anywhere from 12 to 15 minutes to perform and are a vital part of the entire show.

how i got this opportunity is a story of being a hard worker, being in the right places, being dedicated, and being open-minded.

after continuously writing, getting better via workshops, performing at local open mics in DC, and doing the most i could to better myself in the poetry world – i received a phone call from Orville The Poet (a CEO, Owner, Host, and pivotal member of the DMV poetry scene) in the middle of my Marketing Communications class.

naturally, i know that whenever he calls me it’s business or something i could learn from. he straight up says: “you free this Thursday?”

honestly? I wasn’t. but if you thought I was going to say that, you don’t know me at all.

i said “i am now” and he offered me the opportunity to feature for his 3rd Thursday nights at Busboys and Poets. a dream of mine fulfilled just that fast because I kept an open mind and was willing to make it work.

from that day on, i practiced preparing for what would be the biggest moment of my creative career thus far.

this show only had 2 familiar faces in the building and a slew of other people i had not known. but my job was to put on a show. and i did just that.

i shared my pieces with a lovely crowd and used this opportunity to perfect the skill of storytelling. the audience thoroughly enjoyed the storyline i laid out for them that night and i was met with resounding applause and grace.

after the show, i was met with the amazing opportunity to discuss with seasoned poets who gave me amazing advice, praise for my work, and offered themselves as guides.

i cannot thank Orville enough for the opportunity, the other poets for their wisdom, and those in the audience that gave me their time to listen to my stories.

to any artist coming upon their first spotlight/feature, the advice i would give you based on what I learned that night is:

• take. your. time.
• utilize talk breaks intentionally to keep a good flowing storyline
• own the moment because it was given to you for a reason
• set the tone out of the gate and dictate the pace you want to follow

all of these things will lead you well. let me know how it goes for you.

asé, asé.