Nuyorican Poet’s Café has a rich history of empowerment and personal expression. Established in 1973, the café led the way to diverse slam poetry. The café is a multicultural one, whose poets try to express their wide range of experiences. On November 17th the café led one of its poetry slams. People traveled from all over the city to sit in a crowded café (some were even standing) and listen to what these poets had to say. The poets performing had already won an open mic at the club beforehand– ensuring the audience that they were in for some great poetry.  

The café itself has an inviting and interesting vibe, with exposed brick walls and high ceilings. The DJ was in touch with the crowd and played music to get the audience hyped for the poets. The first poet, named Whitney, was a featured poet who was not competing in the slam. She expressed her experiences as an immigrant woman from Dominique. In her poems, she described her feelings behind her accent, her experiences in dating, and the expectations put on her by her family. Each poem described the complexities in her intersecting identities. The poems enlightened the audience, while being unapologetically authentic. There was a very connected atmosphere between the poet and audience. The audience responded to Whitney’s verses with “ohs” and “mmhmms.” This was continued with each poet– making the audience feel as though they are a part of the show.  

The show continued with the actual competition. Three poets were performing, each with multicultural identities and experiences. One of the poets performing was a woman of color from North Carolina– she described her experiences of misogyny and gentrification. The audience loved her use of tone and interesting metaphors to describe her experience. Her poems were poignant in their subject matter; they took on controversial topics such as white privilege. I admired the poet’s bravery in tackling such subject matters– it made her work more authentic and emotional. The next poet performing was a half Palestinian man, who described his experiences as a Palestinian and the atrocities happening in Palestine. Again, the poet touched upon very controversial topics, yet the audience still received his opinions and perspectives exceptionally well. It became clear that this is a part of the mission of Nuyorican Poet’s Café– to allow people (especially marginalized people of color) to share their perspectives in a space that encourages authenticity.  

The final poet was a man of color, who spoke about white supremacy and the history of African Americans. One of his poems used coffee beans as a metaphor for the selling of slaves– this poem was loved by the audience. He used his talents, such as singing parts of his poems to make his pieces memorable. His unique style is probably what won him the competition. However, it is important to note that this slam was not only about winning. Audience members were asked to be judges– and the judges always gave a score of seven or above. This tone throughout the slam kept it very inviting (especially to those who have never attended a slam before).  

Overall, I found that the slam was a welcoming and safe space for people from all walks of life. It was a unique area that welcomed friendly competition while also offering up thought-provoking perspectives. Audience was very much a part of the show, either as judges or audible critics. 

Poetry slams at the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe attract large crowds– who all want to hear what the poets have to say. (Photo Courtesy of Anna Weaver)