Charlene Coates Is New Open Mic MC
Charlene Coates will be the new open mic emcee, succeeding Kelly Harris, beginning Sunday, January 18, 2004.
She is an English/Journalism graduate of Ashland University. While at Ashland, she won second place in the University's annual writing contest her senior year. She was also selected to interview Juan Williams, former Washington Post reporter and Fox News analyst; and Mike Farrell, activist and actor from the television show M.A.S.H.
She has written for Sun Newspapers, The Downtown Tab, Northern Ohio Live and Cleveland Magazine.
Coates started reading her poetry in art galleries, with some poems 'commissioned' to relate to the installation. She has been invited to appear in several films and video performances with Robert Banks and groop, an experimental art collaborative. She has also read her poetry at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the jazz quartet Up Ensemble.
In May, 2003 Coates was selected as feature poet for the ?Say What? Poetry Contest held at the Hessler Street Fair. This annual event selects an adult feature for the contest geared to inspire teen poets and songwriters. Speaking on her hints of anti-consumerism, contest organizer Lee Batdorf said, "She had exactly what we were looking for. She hit it right between the eyes."
Currently, Coates is the writer for Cool Cleveland's "Kucinich Beat" and a contributor to the upcoming Metro News. If not in front of the computer or watching C-span, Charlene is usually at a gallery opening or rocking out at the Beachland Ballroom.
Fundraising Begins for 2003 Slam Team
We're sending five poets to Chicago to compete at the National poetry Slam: Kelly Harris, Vince Robinson, Joseph Primes, Kevin Moore and alternate Kisha Foster! We don't want them sleeping on the streets do we? Hotels in the Windy City ain't cheap! Plus we'd like to be able to feed and water these Cleveland bards. So time for the ClevelandPoetics list serve challenge.
Cleveland Slam Master Michael Salinger is dropping $50 in the bucket and challenges all members and Cleveland poetry fans to meet or beat that amount.
Post that pledge today! Checks can be made out to Clevelandpoetics, 7326 Presley Ave., Mentor, OH 44060, or, if you need the tax write off, make the check out to The Poets and Writer's league of Greater Cleveland, a generous fiscal agent for us. Make the check out to PWLGC and mail to the the above address.
You guys have really come through for us in the past and we do so appreciate it. Let's send these fine kids to Chicago in the true spirit of the Cleveland writing community.
For more information about pledging, send email to Michael Salinger.
There will also be a fundraising event June 15 at the Powerhouse Pub in The Flats West Bank, at 7 p.m.
The team will get the door after the band is paid, and the hat will be passed so here's your first chance to see the team in action.
Other fundraising events:
2003 Slam Team Announced; Fundraising Begins
When the dust cleared your 2003 Cleveland Poetry Slam team is (from left):
This year's alternate (not pictured) is Kisha Nicole Foster.
This team will travel to Chicago to represent Cleveland at the National Poetry Slam. Before they can do that, however, the team will need to raise enough money for the trip. To find out how you can donate, contact Michael Salinger or join ClevelandPoetics on Yahoo! (please see home page to sign up).Your donation can be tax deductible.
Thanks to all who volunteered and have helped throughout the year.
The Classic Cleveland Poetry Slam will be taking the rest of the month off, but we'll be back in July with our annual other people's poetry night – that means the open mic and the slam will require the participants to read other person's works. Our feature will be Edgar Allen Poe. Last year's appearance by Emily Dickinson was well received. Let's see how the dark man from Baltimore does.
PSI 2003-04 Membership Drive
It's true that you don't have to be a member of Poetry Slam Inc. to participate in local slams. However, you must be a member to participate at the national level. And, although membership is not required for local slams, our local organization receives a 10% kickback for local members to PSI. This money may be used to offset registration fees and other essential slam business conducted between the home venue (CCPS) and PSI.
Money raised through membership drives helps promote poetry events and pays slam workers for their efforts.
Let's build our membership and keeping poetry moving and growing in Cleveland communities.
Membership levels are:
We packed `em into the Beachland Ballroom, then we
packed `em full a food and treated them to a feature from Scott
Woods of Columbus. For desert we served up one hell of a
Slam!
Kevin Moore
Kelly Harris
Vince Robinson
And Joseph Primes
Please visit Poetry Slam Membership Drive 2002 for more information or to become a member.
