Bright Moments Spoken Word Nights
September 26 and April 17 5 p.m.
October 31, November 21, February 27, and March 27 6 p.m.
Randolph W. Bromery Center for the Arts lobby
Free; advance registration strongly suggested
Hosted by award-winning spoken word poet Lyrical Faith, this series invites emerging artists from campus and the community to showcase their work alongside the best spoken word poets from the national scene.
Lyrical Faith is a Black American educator, activist, and spoken word poet from the Bronx. She was the third-ranked woman poet in the world following the 2022 Womxn of the World Poetry Slam, an inaugural Bronx Poet Laureate finalist. She is a two-time recipient of the Bronx Council on the Arts BRIO Award, and was the 2015 Syracuse University Poet of the Year.
Lyrical Faith is a graduate of the public relations program at Syracuse University. She holds a master’s degree from the Higher Education and Student Affairs program at New York University, and is a social justice education doctoral student at UMass, studying the intersections of arts and activism. Her work has been featured on Write About Now Poetry, Huffington Post Black Voices, and News 12 the Bronx.
Through her poetry, Lyrical Faith strives to inspire, educate and advocate for intersectional and institutional issues by merging the arts and activism from a faith-based worldview.
Details on each month’s featured guest performers are announced on the Fine Arts Center website as soon as they’re confirmed.
Rieka Speaks
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Rieka Speaks is a versatile artist shaping narratives through poetry, acting, and comedy writing. She is the co-founder of the skietch comedy team Issa Rae's Daughters; a Best of Button poet, and the 2023 Grand Slam champion of the Writer's Den RVA. Register (free).
Chibbi
Thursday, September 26
Chibbi is a Mexico-born, Texas-raised queer performer, poet, and spoken word artist who uses poetry to explore themes of identity, intersectionality, and authentic living. With more than fifteen years of experience in performing and community organizing, they have won two national poetry slam titles. Their performances aim to educate and inspire. Chibbi's work has garnered more than two million views across social media platforms.
Masterpiece
Thursday, October 31, 2024
MasterPiece is an internationally recognized spoken word artist with more than twenty years of experience and seven performance awards. Her powerful work and broad range of accomplishments have been featured on Good Morning Texas, All Def Poetry, Huffington Post, CNN, Teen Vogue, The Examiner, Essence Magazine, and numerous other national platforms. Known as a leading voice of the next generation of spoken word, she continues to inspire audiences with her dynamic performances.
Leilani
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Leilani is an award-winning spoken word poet and multi-disciplinary theater artist from Honolulu, now based in Brooklyn, New York. She is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices through her performances at such venues as the Bowery Poetry Club, and workshops with organizations such as the New York Poetry Society. Leilani has received multiple accolades in the slam poetry circuit, including wins at the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe and the Honolulu Poetry Slam. She holds a BA in theatre studies from Chapman University and is the founder and host of the Sakura Series, a platform for artistic growth and self-expression.
Verbal Slap Slam Team
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Verbal Slap, which features five outstanding spoken word artists, has represented Connecticut at the annual National Poetry Slam since 2011.
