Spoken word champion to slam on NW Campus

By Magan Mitchell/reporter

Arriving late to host a poetry slam at It’s a Grind Coffee House in Dallas, Joaquin Zihuatanejo was all over the place meeting fans and coordinating the events of the night.Fans greeted him at the Dallas event where judges chose the Individual World Poetry Slam representative to send overseas for an international competition.TCC students will soon get a chance to meet the renowned slam poet.

Zihuatanejo will be a keynote speaker at a luncheon symposium about voice and creativity 12:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in WACB 1123 on NW Campus.

He has performed on Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry in 2005, and many of his performances can be found on YouTube.

The National Poetry Slam finalist and Grand Slam Spoken Word champion has performed his poetry at universities, conferences and spoken word competitions around the world, according to his website.

Zihuatanejo said he was an award-winning English and creative writing high school teacher to ninth and 11th grade students for seven years. That experience inspired one of his first collections of recorded poems, Stand Up and Be Heard. 

He said he took a break from teaching to be an artist and is now on his fourth year of touring. 

Zihuatanejo plans to return to teaching after five years of performing his one-man spoken word show.

Until then, he said he hopes “to inspire young thinkers and writers to find their voice.”

“Joaquin is a dynamic poet who moves, touches and inspires all that hear him,” said Kim Jackson, NW associate professor of dance.

Students enrolled in HUMA 1315 Honors – Fine Arts Appreciation class will have their work featured in the Third Annual Creative Voice Symposium 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Michael Saenz Conference Center (WACB 1123), where Zihuatanejo will perform.

This program is sponsored by the humanities department. Admission is free.

Because of limited space, reservations are recommended. To make reservations or for more information, call Jackson at 817-515-7190 or e-mail her at kim.jackson@tccd.edu.