Glynda Velasco-Napa, CA 2014

Organizer: Glynda Velasco
Contact: glyndavelasco@gmail.com

INTERVIEW WITH GLYNDA VELASCO:

I participated in an interview on why I chose to be involved in the world’s largest poetry event, 100 Thousand Poets for Change.
Here is a Q & A, I participated in:

September 2 at 10:11am

Hey 100TPC community, how are things shaping for this year’s initiative. I am putting out a request to you: I’d like to get at least 10 names of coordinators of or participants asap in the 100TPC movement in your respective countries to highlight.

– I would need a very short intro about yourself and a little bit about the event and why you’ve chosen to be a part of this initiative (from the coordinator’s end or as a performer) and what you hope to achieve.

– Please also inc…lude an image/poster highlighting the event and a picture of yourself (hi-res)

Please email to: poeticvibes.pv@gmail.com

I believe this is a worthy cause and I am honoured to be a part of it once again and look forward to seeing the impact around the world. It begins with us.

Thanks again.

Kind Regards,

Rachael N. Collymore
Poetic Vibes Arts Foundation
Representing Trinidad & Tobago

My response:

I [Glynda Velasco] am a coordinator for Napa, California, USA. I have been a community activist and arts activist in my hometown in Vallejo, California. I helped spearhead the movement to have poets against the Liquified Natural Gas plant that Bechtel and Shell proposed to build on Mare Island just a mile or so away from Vallejo. With a weekly open mic producer we had a poetry marathon against the LNG gas plant and then we published an anthology of poetry against LNG. With the rallying support of the residents of Vallejo and people in the Bay Area, Bechtel and Shell left, and our public space on Mare Island is no longer endangered of being marred. Because there was a dearth of resources for spoken word artists and performance poets that were north of San Francisco Bay Area, I founded and directed the first performance poetry arts organization in Vallejo and Solano County. I always gravitated to community building through grassroots causes and/or arts. I have been involved in community and/or local access TV, and I was the associate producer for a live TV show that showcased emerging artists in comedy, spoken word, and music. That same production crew also live streamed open mics and poetry slams.

The reason why I chose 100 Thousand Poets for Change is because I firmly believe that when people come together for a cause in a positive and creative way it is healing and builds community. Personally, I am interested in the social change aspect. I have a strong interest in social justice, progressive mental health, and food access and food parity. We live in a world with different issues and causes now in the forefront, and I believe that all this collective consciousness is creating a malaise. The problems are manmade. We can undo these problems with more mindfulness to nature and other inhabitants beginning with our neighbors and our own neighborhoods.

For 2014 I asked my organizing team what they wanted. They wanted to be diverse, do street poetry, raise funds for a cause that would help kids in trauma, and collaborate with other poets from different cities.

100 Thousand Poets for Change-Napa 2014 celebrates the diversity of the expression of its community and surrounding communities. Organizers encourage spoken word artists, poets, performers to share work on social change, peace, and the environment. However we do not limit to those topics because freedom of self-expression and self-transformation can lead to profound change. We unite to bring awareness to the cause KEDS Program (Kids Exposed to Domestic Violence Services) Program of nonprofit Napa Emergency Women’s Services.

We have two events: STREET POETRY which is a free event during the day and an OPEN MIC/FUNDRAISER at night for the KEDS Program. We also have a RECEPTION/AFTER PARTY after the Open Mic.

I am performing as a Guest Feature during the STREET POETRY event, time permitting. I like how spoken word or performance poetry is accessible to everyone. I like to take complex problems and make them simple for people to understand. I publish my poetry with my full name Glynda Tejada Velasco to honor both my mother and father. However, during poetry slams and during some open mics when I am working on more comedic or controversial pieces I go by different monikers. This year I go by QT-Racer “I am soo far ahead of the game. I leave others in the dust.” She is my alter ego with the personality of visionary maverick who is unstoppable. This year I am going to tackle topics like homophobia, mental illness, and fracking.

Facebook community page: www.facebook.com/100KPoets4ChangeNapa