LeChell the Shootah, Right2Write Slam Champion 2023. Photo by Guerrilla God Marketing.
“I want you to come in with no expectations,” says Alexandria Gurley, AKA Alex Tha Great. “I promise you, you will be amazed.”
Gurley is the brains behind Right 2 Write, a poetry festival in Oak Cliff that is in its second year this weekend. The festival features local and national artists and offers a three-day program that takes place at local venues, including the Texas Theater, Oak Cliff Cultural Center and Snookie’s.
“I know people who were volunteers last year and are now paid employees,” Gurley says.
Those three, Wayne Henry, Gabby Elvessie and Lyrik Hunter, are helping her organize the event this year. Gurley is also a poet and will perform and host the poetry slam event on Saturday night.
The competition features fifteen poets competing for cash prizes of $3,500 before a panel of five judges. Judges score the poets’ works on a scale of 0 to 10, with the lowest and highest scores eliminated, giving the poet a maximum of 30 points.
The poets compete in two rounds, with the total scores being added up. The leaders then move on to the final round, where the champion is determined.
Tickets for the slam are $30 per person, but most of the festival’s other events are free. Check out the full list of ticket options on Eventbrite.
Here is the full event schedule for R2W 2024:
Friday, August 30, 2024
8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Last Chance Slam hosted by Purpose Laicos Aidem (Snookie’s)
Saturday, August 31, 2024
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Scavenger Hunt (Bishop Arts District)
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Yoga class with Dawn Che’ (Oak Cliff Cultural Center)
12:15–1:15 p.m. Gi’s Spot: A Community Workshop (Oak Cliff Cultural Center)
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Poets Spotlight Hour with Wayne Henry (Oak Cliff Cultural Center)
2:45–3:45 p.m. Haiku Battle moderated by Christopher Michael (Oak Cliff Cultural Center)
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Networking Mixer with Blacqwildflowr (Oak Cliff Cultural Center)
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. BREAK/Scavenger Hunt (Bishop Arts District)
7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Poetry Slam moderated by Alex Tha Great (Texas Theatre)
11:00 p.m.–1:00 a.m. Underground Slam hosted by Wayne Henry (Snookie’s)
Sunday, September 1, 2024
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Scavenger Hunt (Bishop Arts District)
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Farewell brunch of the poets Laicos Aidem (Snookie’s)
“This festival is a huge labor of love,” says Gurley. “There is something about this event that truly caters to everyone with all facets of wellness.”
