The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen Street West, Toronto
We're back with another fun spoken word battle-concert - this time featuring the 2018 National Championship Toronto Poetry Slam team!
This is the 2nd to last slam left in the regular slam season. BEFORE YOU SLAM: www.torontopoetryslam.ca/you-hit-stage-read *Open mic available too! 5 slots max (4 minutes maximum in any performance art).
Seats are first come first serve, the venue fills up, so get there early to get a seat.
Hosted by the one and only Luke Reece!
TEAM BIO: The 2018 Toronto poetry slam team is emblematic of the tenacity, vibrancy, heart, and drive that make Toronto a city of possibilities. Amoya Reé (pronounced Ray) is a Jamaican-Canadian spoken word poet. Her writing is deeply rooted in her lived experiences as immigrant, survivor & young mother. Her background in theatre first brought her to performance poetry in 2008 & since then she has shared her stories in as many classrooms and boardrooms in Ontario. Gavin Russell is a spoken word poet who has performed across Canada. The 2014 CapSlam (Ottawa) and 2017 Toronto Poetry Slam Champion, he writes on myriad topics, asking his audience to relish in the mundane and banal aspects of life. Jennifer Alicia is a Mi'kmaq and Settler (German, Irish, Scottish) spoken word artist and 2017 National Champ. Her poetry is rooted in love and rage. She is a member of Seeds & Stardust, an Indigenous women's poetry collective and also a member of the Toronto Poetry Slam Team for the second year in a row. Cassandra Myers (they/she) is a brown, queer, femme poet and a fourth year student in Child and Youth Care. They have performed on stages internationally and 2016 Femme Youth Poet of the World. They are an Alumni of BAM! Youth Slam, a current member of the Toronto Poetry Slam Team, and the President of Ryerson's Poetic Exchange. Gabrielle is a proud, black spoken word artist from Jamaica. Although ever-growing, her work has so far been a depiction of her own life experiences, as well as the lives of those who inspire her, involving mental health, black power, heartbreak, and self-love. Recognized for her multi-layered poems, Gabrielle began performing original pieces as early as last year and has since continued to pursue her passion for poetry into becoming a 2018 Toronto Poetry Slam team member. Together they have made history as the 2nd Canadian team ever to make it to semi-finals at the National Poetry Slam in Chicago this past summer. They are the 2018 National Slam Team Champions (Canadian Festival of Spoken Word)! This dynamic group of new and seasoned poets is the flavour of the city you never knew you needed!