The energy and the powerful words of Jaylene Clark Owens resonated with students as they kicked off the month celebrating Black Heritage Month through poetry.
Students and members of the community gathered at the Legend’s Club House on Feb. 5, to enjoy an evening of poetry and gain an opportunity to voice their creativity.
The highly acclaimed poet performed several of her works which had the audience snapping their fingers and nodding in agreement. Her words strung the hearts of many students because it highlighted African-American culture and emphasized social injustice.
“I definitely have a passion for speaking a lot about social injustice issues, but especially as a black woman I really do enjoy shedding light on issues that impact people of color. I think it’s important for me to do poetry about these subjects because it allows people to think about it and have a discussion about it; and the more people are able to talk to one another the more we can have a better understanding of each other,” Owens said.
Through her poetry, attendees were able to grasp a bit of history while also maintaining the good vibes and humor through poetry.
Owens encouraged students to turn to the arts as a form of release, as a way for them to be vocal about what is going on in today’s society and issues that are being ignored.
“I liked how she kept it real about the problems that black women face,” Aliyah Smith, CSCO major, said. “A lot of the topics she brought up are things that are not talked about. It was all so relatable; she was saying exactly how we felt.”
Students were able to gain some perspective and celebrate African-American traditions through the power of literature.
“My favorite part of the night was the amazing poetry done by Jaylene Clark Owens,” said Myron Harell, Allied Health major. “She made connections that my mother would often remind me of and make sure I remembered; which I wouldn’t listen to because I felt like times are different now. Black History Month is important because it’s a way to educate others …about the obstacles African Americans had to overcome and endure.”