WAYE: A Poetry Reading Series – Vol. 4, Episode 9
Schedule
Wed Sep 24 2025 at 08:00 pm to 10:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
561 Palisade Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307-1124, United States | Jersey City, NJ
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WAYE: A Poetry Reading Series is back at Sure Things on Wednesday, September 24th with Leilani!OUR FEATURE
Leilani is an award-winning, internationally performed spoken word poet and multi-disciplinary theater artist hailing from Honolulu and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She has performed on stages in Thailand and Japan and extensively across New York City and Honolulu, featuring at over 25 events at prominent venues like The Bowery Poetry Club, and she has even opened for Rupi Kaur.
In the slam circuit, Leilani has garnered multiple awards, including winning the Brooklyn Poetry Slam at BRIC, the Honolulu Poetry Slam, and multiple slams at the renowned Nuyorican Poets Cafe; she was also ranked in the Top 30 at the Womxn of the World Poetry Slam.
Leilani holds a BA in Theatre Studies from Chapman University and is the founder and host of the Sakura Series, where she has produced, hosted, and curated over 17 events. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to addressing the issues and injustices she witnesses in the world, believing strongly in the power of spoken word as a platform to amplify unheard stories and marginalized voices.
FOR THE OPEN
Sign-up for our open mic sessions begins at 7:30 PM. Once you arrive at Sure Things (561 Palisade Avenue), please print your name on the list, which has an initial cap of 15 poets who will each poet will have 5 minutes to showcase their work. (Basically, one to three pieces of short to moderate length, including any prep, prologues, and plugs.) IF THE LIST IS FULL, we'll bump the cap to 20 so more poets can be heard; in that case, each poet will recite one poem to ensure we are be done by 10 PM. (It is a school night, after all.)
Again, be sure to arrive at 7:30 PM to secure a spot on the list, since it does fill up quickly; and please keep in mind that the list will be set out no earlier than 7:30.
Also, this is a poetry reading series and open mic, which means spoken word, slam, performance poetry, short prose pieces, and similar forms of poetic expression are welcome. As much as we love music, musical accompaniment, and comedy, this is not the venue for these forms of expression.
SOME QUICK SHOPKEEPING
First, the shop is small and seating is limited. If you want/need a seat, please arrive early to claim one; otherwise, it's standing room only.
Second, there's a $5 CASH ONLY cover, 100% of which goes directly to our feature. Again, this is CASH ONLY; no Venmo, Cash App, Zelle or other forms of electronic payment will be accepted at the door, so please bring some paper money with you.
As always, We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm and look forward to seeing you all on the 24th!
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Where is it happening?
561 Palisade Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307-1124, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
