Hour-long slam poetry events hosted by Kealoha at Hamilton Library

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Teri Skillman, (808) 956-8688
Events & Communications Coordinator, Library Services
Posted: Sep 18, 2012

Kealoha Wong
Kealoha Wong
Back by student request, funded by the Student Activity Program and Fee Board, and hosted by UH Manoa Library, HamSlam! sessions will be held on the third Thursdays of the month in September (9/20), October (10/18) and November (11/15) at Hamilton Library.
 
Join us this Thursday, September 20, at 7:30 p.m. for the first of three free hour-long slam poetry events in the Hamilton Library Sunny Alcove.  Share a poem, song or creative expression during the open mike, or just come and soak in the performances.
 
HamSlam! will be hosted by HawaiiSlam’s own Kealoha, the first Poet Laureate of Hawaii, who will be facilitator for the slam poetry session.  The internationally acclaimed poet and storyteller has performed throughout the world--from the White House to Iolani Palace, from Brazil to Switzerland.
 
Kealoha is the first poet in Hawaii's history to perform at a governor's inauguration; in 2010, he was selected as a master artist for a National Endowment for the Arts program.  In the seven years that he has represented Hawaii at the National Poetry Slam, he has performed on the finals stage four times, was ranked in the top ten of the nation's best poets in 2007, and was honored as a "National Slam Legend" in 2010.
 
In the genre of storytelling, he has gained national recognition by showcasing at high profile events, such as the National Storytelling Network Conference, and at Bay Area and Honolulu storytelling festivals.
 
Kealoha graduated with honors from MIT with a degree in Nuclear Physics (and a minor in writing), served as a business consultant in San Francisco, and played around as a surf instructor prior to becoming a professional poet in 2002.
 
Join us this Thursday for finger food (while supplies last) and support our talented performers in an open mike format for slam poetry and music. 
 
For more information, contact Teri Skillman 956-8688 or skillman@hawaii.edu.