by Howard Shack | KSTW.com
Many of you may be familiar with spoken word poetry courtesy of Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam or perhaps you've seen the Sundance award-winning film "Slam". Whether or not you are new to this remarkable mode of expression - you are in for a treat. The Northwest is home to some of the most dynamic spoken word poets in the country.
One of the rising stars of the Northwest's poetry scene is a young woman named Hollis Wong-Wear. She is currently enrolled at Seattle University where she is earning a degree in History with a minor in Global African Studies. When she's not performing her work at poetry slams and open mics all over town, she can be found working as a mentor at the literary arts organization Youth Speaks Seattle.
The subject of Hollis' poetry ranges from her love/hate relationship with Tyra Banks to a remarkably honest look into her own biracial ancestry. In many ways, Hollis is the new (and improved) All-American girl. She doesn't take anything at face value and isn't afraid to point out the many ways in which mainstream media is failing us. She is rebellious, whip-smart and outspoken. All good things.
But the written word is only part of the spoken word equation. The deep impact of Hollis' work is due, in large part, to her emotionally honest delivery and her ability to connect with her audience. I hope that many of you taking the time to watch this story will then go and seek out a poetry reading or a local poetry slam. We did our best to capture the experience of Hollis' spoken word poetry, but the truth is – it's meant to be seen, heard and felt live and in person. So off you go.
To find out about upcoming spoken word events please visit Youth Speaks Seattle
You can also check out Hollis' hip-hop project, Canary Sing
Stay tuned to CW11's Underground as we bring you new stories on the Northwest's best and brightest stars.
Howard Shack writes for KSTW-TV in Seattle. All opinions expressed in this column are his.
