WHEN: SATURDAY (11/13)

Doors/Sign-Ups 6pm. Show 6:30pm

WHERE: The Tilden Room

(Top floor, MLK Building @ UC Berkeley)

FEATURING: JASON BAYANI

2003 Berkeley and San Francisco Grand Slam Champion

decolonize |dēˈkäləˌnīz|
verb [ trans. ]
(of a country) withdraw from (a colony), leaving it independent

The Thanksgiving/Thingstaken time of the year should be a chilling reminder of European colonization of the American continent. Centuries later, as a country, we still feel the repercussions of a history of oppression and appropriation by a dominating class. Countries across the globe are in the midst of war, turmoil, and poverty resulting directly from the effects of colonization. In our daily lives we fight against the appropriation of our own resources - culture, bodies, minds, lives - by manipulative individuals, a society obsessed with conformity, and a system that too often destroys those it pledges to protect.

Share your histories, stories of, inspiration, and calls for decolonization - how will you claim your independence?

As always, the event will feature both an open mic and poetry slam. Slam participants will be competing to make the CalSlam poetry team, which will represent UC Berkeley and compete in the Spring at the 2011 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitation (CUPSI). (For a better explanation of how a slam works, check this post.) Everyone is welcome to watch, participate, and perform.

Come pre-game for your Saturday night with some dope, thought-provocative poetry!

$3-5 admission