The Check-In Poetry Slam!| Anacostia| Host: KaNikki J

Experience an empowering evening of spoken word and expressive poetry at Busboys and Poets Anacostia. In honor of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we're using the transformative power of art to shine a spotlight on mental health awareness. "The Check-In" invites poets, wordsmiths, and advocates to step up to the mic and share their heartfelt verses, highlighting the complexities of mental health within our communities.

Through raw and authentic poetry, we aim to create a safe space for individuals to share their stories, struggles, and triumphs. Whether you're a seasoned poet or new to the stage, all are welcome to participate or simply come to listen and support.

An esteemed panel of judges will award a $100 cash prize to the first-place winner, recognizing the most impactful and resonant performance of the evening. Join us for an unforgettable night of powerful poetry and community connection.

Find out more about how to support Minority Mental Health Awareness by visiting: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically, the host or another organizer selects the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to 10 or one to 10 scale) based on the poets' content and performance.

This is an opportunity for poetry lovers to enjoy the competitive art of late-night performance poetry!

Enjoy two rounds of high-intensity poetry, with the audience choosing a winner.

1st Place Winner Takes ALL - $100

The Rules:

• Slammers must arrive 30 minutes prior to the show. We will randomly select the order of the slam through a draw.
• Each poem must be of the poet’s own construction.
• Each poet gets 3 minutes (plus a ten-second grace period) to read one poem; if the poet goes over, points will be deducted from the total score.
• A poet’s time begins as soon as they say anything on stage or engage the audience in any way.
• The poet may NOT use props, costumes, or musical instruments. This includes the removal of clothing.
• The poem can only be performed by one person.
• Poets ARE allowed to read from paper and electronic devices such as laptops or cell phones. There will be no point penalty assessed unless it’s used as a PROP (as outlined above).
• 6 Competitors will be eliminated after the 1st round

$100.00 cash prize.

$ 5.00 + Tax and fees online. $8.00 (tax and fees included) at the door !

HOSTED BY: KaNikki Jakarta

KaNikki Jakarta is the First African American Poet Laureate of Alexandria, Virginia. She is an Award Winning Performance Poet who has toured the US and the UK. KaNikki is the author of three novels, two poetry collections, a memoir, a short story, poetry collection entitled ALABAMA GIRL, VIRGINIA WOMAN and the co-author of THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SELF HEALING VOLUME II. Ms. Jakarta has been interviewed and featured in newspapers and magazines to include Alexandria Times, Alexandria Gazette, Patch, and Northern Virginia Magazines. She’s been featured on Podcasts, radio stations, and TV stations to include WUSA9 and Comcast. She is the 2021 DMV Renaissance Female OG of the Year. She hosts #KaNikkiHarmony 1st Mondays Open Mic Night at Busboys and Poets Virginia. She facilitates a quarterly workshop entitled: WRITE LIKE A WOMAN in Alexandria, Virginia, a virtual, monthly workshop entitled PREP TO PUBLISH, and offers KANIKKI FOR KIDS, a virtual ASL and Affirmation class for children ages 6 – 11. She presents POETS AND PLATFORMS under the umbrella of a weekly, online womyn-led artistic experience entitled KEEP THE MIC ON where she is the co-founder. If you think that something she says on the mic might change your life, you’re probably [email protected]

Host or Publisher Busboys and Poets