Letting poetry bring us together

I am a native of Macon. I lived away for a while. However, I’ve been back for years and would love to see more diverse happenings take place in my hometown.

As a poet, I’ve had experiences in major metropolitan areas as well as eclectic small towns, which have districts strictly dedicated to grassroots arts scenes. Many emerging artists get their start in such environments.

When exposed to different lifestyles and nationalities, we begin to come up with solutions to bridge the gap of cultural divides. The content of our artwork also begins to display more of a global appeal. There are many common denominators that allow us to grow our minds and economies.

Many of the lines that divide us can help unite us. Without access to knowledge and resources, we are not able to empower each other.

Using the arts to gather people about serious issues on a lighter note is a strategic move to create agendas and policies. Honestly, the average citizen needs to ignite their thought process about civic issues. If we don’t inform our elected and appointed politicians about our community concerns, they will have no idea unless they take the time to hold information sessions with room for our feedback.

As Macon continues to grow, hopefully we can create artistic movements that help inspire others to speak out about happenings regarding economic issues and each branch of our government. There have been many events and organizations that have contributed to offering alternative entertainment in the heart of Georgia.

I’m particularly excited about the mission of Business Image, an event planning company created by Seandel and Shrisma Hardge, which is dedicated to producing events that bring a sense of commerce to the community.

“Our mission is centered around working with small businesses and corporate vendors to expose musicians, spoken word artists, painters and more,” Seandel Hardge said.

Business Image has been in Macon for a few months, but they have been operating out of Atlanta for several years. On May 21, from 8-11 p.m., they will hold their premiere event in Macon on the rooftop of the Wells Fargo building. The black-tie event is called Conversations of a Poet, and it’s a glam slam poetry competition hosted by Marquis Norton, aka Que, with $200 up for grabs to the winner.

This night will consist of entertainment, poets, vendors, food and beverages. The black-tie dress code will be enforced. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.com. For more details, call 800-242-3110, or visit businessimage.net.

This story was originally published May 4, 2017 at 6:51 AM with the headline "Letting poetry bring us together."