Give Something That Means Something

Being a college student at San Jose State is a fun experience. Despite me attending a commuter university, I find interesting things to do on or near the campus. Many students live a routine life, meaning they come to school and go straight home or to work. Other students make use of the campuses’ resources and organizations such as MOSAIC. The MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center provides services and advocacy for students from historically underrepresented identity groups. I had the opportunity to attend their first Open Mic Night, Word! They are held every first Thursday of the month at a café across form campus. I was blown away by the talent of my peers and had the opportunity to interview one of the students who performs each month. Essence Sellers, also known as Lady Ma, is a third year student from Sacramento. She explained to me how she began writing poetry. “I started writing poetry young. I started writing in a journal just for an outlet and get things off my chest, but writing poetry came later in middle school and high school.” Lady Ma dives deeper and shares her influences. “What influenced me to first start writing was an episode of Oprah. She was talking about how everyone should keep a journal and how important it is to write out your feelings and its healthy not to keep it in and build up. So I got a journal and did exactly as she said. What influences me to write poetry is just everyday life. I write about being a woman, being African American, relationships, love, heartache, society, the Lord, etc; anything about life. I write the types of poetry and spoken word I do because I love the style of writing and performing. I have a huge love for old school hip-hop and R&B from the 80’s and 90’s. I grew up watching Def Jam and I fell in love with the creative, unique self-expression of spoken word.” Essence ends by expressing what she loves about poetry. “I love the feelings, the flow, the vibe, the deep emotional connection and snapping fingers. It’s the best! My life would be pretty crazy and boring. My life would be plain Jane. I am not a plain or dull person at all. Poetry is my mental outlet and my therapy. Seriously! Poetry has gotten me through some tough times in my life and without it would be a struggle. I have always been in the Arts, so it’s a huge part of who I am.” So I am encouraging you all to give spoken word a try. It does not have to rhyme; the flow of the writing is totally up to you. This form of self-expression helps, especially when you are under stress. A few days ago I had a bad day and instead of eating junk food or doing something I would regret, I decided to write my first piece. I just wrote down how I felt and it came naturally. I had only heard other people’s work but to actually come up with my own was an amazing experience. After I wrote it, I felt a bit better. Stress has a way of getting a hold of us, but when we are able to be active, both physically and mentally, we can overcome that stress.