On Mar. 4, Richeta Cubano ‘24 hosted her fourth Poetunity Open Mic Night, where poets, singers and other artists alike came together to showcase their talents in the Red Door Cafe. When students walked in on Friday night, they were greeted with snacks, refreshments and a warm atmosphere.
Cubano shared what it felt like to host this event. “It feels so impactful and I am proud that I was able to host my fourth Poetunity event. Seeing how intimate the event became and how much creatives are being affected by the space inspires me to continue making a space for them to blossom and be great.”
Tommy Kelly ‘24 said that it was “An eclectic, cozy environment for people to bare their souls and perform without judgment.”
“There were so many talented performers and Richeta really knows how to put a show together.”
– Naava Wilson ‘25
Performers expressed how great the event went. Naava Wilson ‘25, who performed an original song, said, “I think the event went great! There were so many talented performers and Richeta really knows how to put a show together. It’s really amazing getting to do Poetunity because you really get to bring yourself to your performance and the audience is overwhelmingly supportive.” Keshawn McDowdell ’24, who performed a spoken word, added, “I think the event went well, and it spoke to a lot of people. Everyone’s poetry came from a special place, and I’m glad everyone got a chance to showcase that.”
The theme of this semester’s Poetunity was “A Peak Into My Soul.” Cubano explained that the theme “was inspired by the intention of having creators dig deep and be vulnerable with not only themselves but with others. Helping everyone see that no one is going through anything alone.” When performers heard about the theme, they had to reflect on their lives and emotions that they wanted to reveal to the community of Muhlenberg.
McDowdell said, “I chose my piece, ‘Description,’ once I heard the theme because I wanted people to take a peak into what it’s like living in an African American man’s shoes, coming up in this world with police discrimination against African Americans at its highest.”
When Mustafa Hall ‘23 heard about this year’s theme, he said, “I chose my piece (which was centered around my relationship with my voice) by asking myself, ‘What do I emotionally need to release from my body?’ And a poem about my voice was created. This space gave me the opportunity to heal and understand past trauma and I’m very grateful for it.”
“I think that in particular the process of healing physically and emotionally is so foundational to who I am, so I wanted my performance to reflect that.”
– Rebekah Ayre ‘24
Rebekah Ayre ‘24 performed two original poems and added, “I chose my pieces because they are my most recent poems that actively process my lived experience. I think that in particular the process of healing physically and emotionally is so foundational to who I am, so I wanted my performance to reflect that. Overall, I’m so glad I participated in this Poetunity! It made me feel so grounded in myself and it’s definitely something I plan to do again.”
Audience members expressed how much they enjoyed the event. Margaret Silbaugh ‘23 stated, “I think the event was fantastic. Richeta did a wonderful job of keeping the energy up, and the performances were all great!” She added,“I was particularly moved by Keanna [Peña ‘25]’s tender poem about friendship love and Oy [Adebajo ‘23]’s rap about her intersectional identity! I also loved Maria [Rivera ‘23]’s ‘Letter to my Younger Self’ poem in which they talked about body image and learning to love yourself when there are forces telling you you aren’t worthy.”
Audience member Kailee Joseph ‘25 said, “I think the event was a complete success. I really like how Richeta made such a diverse line up for the show. Everyone left a piece of themselves on the stage. I really love how this Poetunity created a safe space for all types of people and how everyone felt free to express themselves.”
