Western Carolina University

Truthwriters is a programmatic initiative that seeks to develop an appreciation for spoken word as an art form and to inspire intellectual activism and consciousness regarding issues of diversity and social justice at WCU.

What is Spoken Word?
Spoken word is an oral art form consisting of, or primarily of one person speaking in a narrative or conversational fashion. There are two styles of spoken word. The first style is based on recorded and published works (e.g., books, plays, speeches, etc.). The second, more popular style, involves the reciting or improvisation of poetry and commentary performed in front of a live audience. The latter is more of a prose or stream of consciousness that includes monologues, poems, stories, and rap.

Truthwriters seeks to:

• Serve as a platform for writers and poets to share their works, meet each other, and to develop their craft
• Help artists find their voice, gain confidence, and develop their public speaking and presentation skills, and
• Explore the inter-sectionality of contemporary spoken word (as evident in hip-hop culture), diversity, and social justice as tools of education and activism.

Activities

• The group hosts numerous poet “sessions”
• Performances at coffee houses, schools, and community organizations
• Annual Poetry Slam

For more information please contact Anthony Franklin, Lead Poet at awfranklin1@catamount.wcu.edu.