• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

You are here: Home / Life / Celebrity Advice / Poetry Pride: Emerson’s Rachelle Martin on Why She Loves Slam Poetry

Poetry Pride: Emerson’s Rachelle Martin on Why She Loves Slam Poetry

April 18, 2013 //  by Amanda Breen

FacebookTweet

Slam has revitalized interest in poetry. Maybe you have seen George Watsky perform his spoken word poetry, or Tom Hanks perform a slam poem on Jimmy Fallon, or even seen Sarah Kay perform her poetry during a TED talk. No matter where you have heard it, slam poetry is a growing trend all around the America.

Each year, the ACUI produces the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI) offering an opportunity for colleges with Poetry Slam programs to compete for top honors and to share their artistry and voices. 

This year CUPSI was held on April 3rd – 6th at Barnard College. Emerson College was represented by a team of five members: Rachelle Martin, Bobby Crawford, Kieran Collier, Donnie Welch and Allison Truj.

 (Martin is fourth from the left)

According to Martin, the team has been practicing since January. “Our practices usually consist of either workshops or performance work. Work-shopping is for new poetry, which may need rewriting. Once you've written the final draft of your poem, you do performance work, which includes how you say it, act on stage, move, and memorization. There's also a fair bit of tweeting, eating Trader Joe's hummus, and gossiping about the latest slams we've all been to,” she says. 

Martin says that her favorite thing about slam poetry is the feeling of community. Unlike a lot of other competitions, there's very little negative energy, she explains. “Don't get me wrong, there is some. But it's much different from sports rivalries or something. I've come across almost no aggression. We're all there to appreciate art and have feelings,” she tells us. 

For Martin, performing is exciting, but a little scary too. “I get stage fright. Even in front of my team. Being nervous is good though. It's a sign of a healthy ego,” she says.

When asked about sources of inspiration, Martin says that her poetry is mostly personal, but focuses on societal issues as well. “I write a lot of personal poetry–relationships, etcetera. I also take time to write about sexism, because it's important, and slam is a great liberal venue to express your feeling on social justice stuff,” she says. “Lately I've been trying to be more complex with the poetry I write for class or for myself, and I hope I can get that to transfer over to slam work.”

Here are a few highlights from the 2013 CUPSI:

 

 

FacebookTweet

Filed Under: Celebrity Advice Life

About Amanda Breen

Freshman > Writing, Literature, and Publishing > Emerson

You May Also Like

black lives matter

Celebs Making Major Moves in the Black Lives Matter Campaign

coming out pride month

Not That You Asked, But Here’s 7 Celebrities I’d Gladly Come Out To

top youtube channels

15 Top YouTube Channels Every College Student Needs to Subscribe to

minus gravity

Minus Gravity: New Music, Videos and Advice

Keeping up with Kim Kardashian

5 College Lessons That Students Should Learn from Donald Glover

maiara walsh

The Girl Has Skills: CM Interviews Switched At Birth’s Maiara Walsh

Nebraskan Native Just Living The Dream: CM Interviews Justified’s Abby Miller

The New Division band

CM Interviews The New Division’s John Kunkel

10 Reasons Why Beyonce Will Motivate You For Finals

CM Chats with Former Degrassi Actress Andrea Lewis

Keys to Success: 10 Times DJ Khaled Explained College Life

Shia Said, “Just Do It!” So Why Aren’t You?

How I Met My Writing Idols in College

Holley Maher: Music That Makes Us Euphoric

CM Interviews Atlas Genius

A New Brand of Indie: CM Interviews Birds of Chicago

Be Your Own Brand: CM Interviews Liz Goodgold

How to Win Friends and Influence People: CM Interviews Diane Beliveau

Thinking of Boston: CM Interviews Blue Man Group

Dwight Schrute’s Girlfriend: CM Interviews Nora Kirkpatrick

CM Interviews Augusten Burroughs: Author of Running with Scissors

Poetry Pride: Emerson’s Rachelle Martin on Why She Loves Slam Poetry

National Poetry Month: CM Interviews Poet, Activist Andrea Gibson

Previous Post: « Take Back the Hookup
Next Post: Perils of Being Petite »

Primary Sidebar



Trending Posts

94

10 St. John’s University Finals Activities to Help You De-Stress

mental health
78

Pandemic and Academic Blues: Being Aware of Your Mental Health

60

24 Ways My 2020 Survival Guide Turned into 2021 Lifestyle Habits

55

The Ultimate Auburn University Bucket List: 21 Things to Do Before Graduating

best classes
24

10 Best Classes You Need to Take at Drake University

Featured Chapter: St. John’s University

Footer

logo

College Magazine is the national daily guide to campus life. Our articles for college students feature university rankings of U.S. colleges, college guides, academic advice, college prep, career advice, student health and collegiate dating tips.

Written by students for students, by a team of journalists from universities nationwide, we’re on the pulse of the college experience.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

Majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

Intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

Money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

Travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

Shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

Copyright © 2021 College Magazine · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.