a bit of a controversy in des parts. something that i wasn't ready to address, until i finished figuring out somethings for myself. after lengthy conversations with jive that panned out over several months. i think i have a grasp on how i feel about this poetry slam affirmative action business. this year, AIPF put in place a slam that would honor two winners: one woman and one man. this was due to several things, most importantly: after 13 annual festivals, there has yet to be a woman slam winner.
the best thing they did to assure there was a fair playing ground for the both women and men, was to keep the sex of the slammers balanced (i.e., 8 women & 8 men). however, they took it a bit further. and in their need to make things equal, i think we may have done a disservice to women poets everywhere. the top woman poet was AKUA, this year. the top man poet was Joaquin. it's funny. in the past 4 years of my going - i have ranked in the top 3 finalists, atleast 3 times. which means, though we haven't had a women winner (yet) we are on our way and don't need any favors. this year. there were TWO women in the final four (akua and myself). and after looking at the situation - i realized we don't need charity.
i encourage AIPF to continue having balanced slams with an equal number of men and women participants. but suggest they let the wittest slam poet win, whether it be man or woman. because honestly, the sexism that underlines this sincere gesture only says that WOMAN AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH CREATIVELY, LYRICALLY, OR POETRICALLY TO GO TOE TO TOE WITH MEN. this is a strong statement, especially after the National Poetry Slam Individuals Champ has only been acquired more than once (count it 4 times) by a WOMAN. a BLACK WOMAN (ms. patricia smith) and no MAN has been able to match her strides - almost a decade later.
so i thank you AIPF for the support of your women poets, but truly feel - the best way to support us, is to assure the playing field is level throughout. and that means 1 winner -- whether women take home the 1st prize is only up to chance. i mean, hell. it's a poetry slam.
(this was solely inspired by jive. thanks for being a feminist even when you didn't know it)
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2 comments:
Mo,
I couldn't agree with you more. While last year's slam was one of the poetic season's hottest events, this one paled in comparison. (In Austin, TX, several events contribute to what we call a season. The poetic season is as follows: there is AIPF, Austin Slam Team Semi's, Austin Slam Team Finals, B-Fran's Quarterly Poetic House Party, Regionals, and National Poetry Slam). I participated in the AIPF slam for the first time, and was pleased with my overall performance. I was however, discouraged upon hearing that there will be a slam within a slam. Everyone would slam at the same time, but the competition would be female: female and male: male, with honors going to the gender specific champion, no mention of second or third. The idea of let's "fix it" so a woman has a good chance to win, means in the future they may fix it so, let's say a fox, has a good chance of winning.... And you know how foxes like to mimic then act as if they invented the shyt... The final round was VERYDISAPPOINTING.... AKUA held her own, and Mo as always Baby YOU DID YOU; I felt Tito and Joaquin (who reportedly has said HE'S THE TOP SPOKEN WORD ARTIST, and not______________) failed to show their diversity and talent. We walked away knowing that Joaquin is a teacher who teaches inner-city kids, who has a gay student named Trey, who he (Joaquin) wants to be like.... Why do we know this? Because he said it in all THREE ROUNDS OF POETRY.... Did I mention he was a teacher? And Tito, well because I know Texas History, I know that he basically re-wrote at least two folk tales and turned them into pieces.... Don't get me wrong, their performances were good, but... again, I am a poet's poet having studied the art and was looking for a hotter show!!!! The biggest disappointment was to find out that Taalam and Jive would not be participating, as they were "retired" since they had won previously. I know that as an artist in order to say that you are the SHYT you got to go up against the SHYT.... And even if I would have never gotten out of the first round, I could have said I was in a slam, notice I didn't say SLAMMED, with my idols (Jive, MO and Taalam). But I can at least say I shared the stage with them the following night. I've identified a new goal and that is to be on stage with Suheir Hamad... Or at least get another autograph. Mo, I know she's in Brooklyn witcha.... AND she is the SHYT!!!!! Now if I wanted to be a biter....it would be a MOSUHEIR type of thang..... as always...
13....
Mo,
I agree with you.
I also think the JUDGES should be re-evaluated.
Let's face it, if you are NOT diverse in your thinking...how in the hell are you going to be an efficient judge? You are only judging by what YOU understand. Some of the damn scores given pissed me the HELL off!! For example, one of the poets in the first round...I don't remember his name BUT he was talking about fairies and damn frogs....what the hell was that about? I would have given his ass an "E" for Effort.
This was actually my first time attending the AIPF. All and all I had a good time.
Mo, you did the fool girl and Kim laid it DOWN!! Both of you inspired me...along with Taalam, Jive, Mike, and other poets...
Keep doing your thang girl!!
Keitwanna
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