Posts tagged candidathepoet
An Evening of Spoken Word Performance with Candida the Poet
An Evening of Spoken Word Performance with Candida the Poet

Candida the Poet hosted an evening of spoken word performance as her middle school participants performed alongside their instructor and guest poets in front of 20 parents, youth, and neighbors for the Porch On TAP artist residency program. 

If the youth were nervous… it barely showed. Their amplified voices fluctuated with the power of their stories. Topics ranged from relationships to family, incarceration, faith, politics, and beauty. Family and friends clapped and cheered.

Candida and Justin Gordon, both members of The Guild Poetry Collective, performed pieces of their own acclaimed work much to the excitement of the youth and the rest of the audience. 

tumblr_phypfigIFe1sxvwwbo3_640.jpg

The evening ended with talk of how this is something that is missing… and that they would like to do something about it. Open Mic nights and poetry workshops is something they said they would like to make sure happens beyond the residency. 

ProgrammingInside Southwest Detroitpotap, 8869avis, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, thealleyproject, spokenword, candidathepoetComment
Spoken 101 with Candida
Spoken 101 with Candida

Candida ran back-to-back workshops this week—Spoken Word 101 with elementary age participants in the morning and continued work with her small group of new, young middle school poets throughout the afternoon.

Team builders, videos, demonstrations and other activities introduced the young audiences to poetry in ways they hadn’t seen or done themselves.

The middle schoolers worked this week on building their confidence by working in teams with critical feedback and performing in front of themselves.

You can see the difference in the questions they are asking and in their work. They are preparing works for a public presentation in the coming weeks where they will perform an evening of poetry in front of a modest audience of no more than 20. 

ProgrammingInside Southwest Detroitpotap, candidathepoet, thealleyproject, swdetroit, southwest detroit, 8869 avisComment
Candida The Poet Welcomed as Artist in Residence For Porch On TAP
Candida The Poet Welcomed as Artist in Residence For Porch On TAP

Candida The Poet is a writer, performer, and an advocate from Southwest Detroit. Her poetry and instruction demonstrate the power of voice and introspection, often challenging systemic injustice while raising awareness about a range of social topics including violence, incarceration, and addiction. Candida’s poem about gentrification, “Painfully Painted”, has been recognized for its relevance and perspective and is currently integrated into the Political Science curriculum at Wayne State University.


Candida is joining us as a resident artist at The Alley Project!! She is helping to inaugurate our new home on Avis and Elsmere as we transform our front porch to a setting for artistic exchange during our artist residency program, the Porch On TAP.

During her residency she will focus her work with a small group of middle school poets who have never composed and performed original works for an audience—working to develop experiences and skills in writing, collective participation/feedback, and performance. Additionally she will facilitate Spoken Word 101 workshops with younger youth to promote exposure to written and performance arts. 



ProgrammingInside Southwest Detroitthealleyproject, 8869avis, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, candidathepoet, spokenword, potapComment