Performance Poetry 2014
Presented in partnership with 100 State, the Morgridge Center, the YWCA, the Madison Media Institute, the Hip Hop Revival, UCAN.
Three First Wave poets will put their unique poetic spin on the Race to Equity Report, one of the most troubling documents that has exposed the profound inequality existent in Dane County among communities of color, particularly African-Americans and whites related to poverty, achievement gap issues and incarceration rates and beyond. The poems will be responded to by three renowned local and internationally acclaimed artists and community intellectuals .
First Wave Hip Hop Theater Ensemble
The First Wave Hip Hop Theatre Ensemble (FWTE) is a groundbreaking collective of spoken word poets, emcees, dancers, singers, actors, and activists from across the United States. FWTE represents the First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Learning Community at UW-Madison, the world's first and only full tuition scholarship for Hip Hop and urbans arts. They create works that unpack the personal narrative as a route to academic engagement, artistic productivity and community engagement.
They have performed in England, Mexico, Panama, Africa, Australia, and Jamaica as well as across the USA including featured performances on Broadway and annual performance keynote at the Boys & Girl Club Keystone Conference. Touring Members host workshops and performances in local and regional high school and community spaces.
FWTE Members for 2021-22 are Azura Tyabji (Seattle), Jackson Neal (Houston), Marjan Naderi (DC), Sarah Abbas (St. Louis), & Zachary Lesmeister (St. Louis).