What Inspires this Master of the Mic?

By Megan M. Seckman



“I’m already African American, how much dark produce I take away to expect slim?...I know I’m no Disney princess but Queen Ursula, royalty. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 self-made boss; a threat to you lot weak-minded mermaids who are likewise afraid of my tidal wave...So when they telephone band you lot ‘Fat Girl,’ you lot country ‘And?’”

On stage, Rheonna Thornton, 31, is a lyrical creature — a larger-than-life volcano erupting amongst hot molten magma inward verse, recorded from a tiny smartphone kept inward her purse. She is poet, listen her roar.

Off stage, she lives quietly amongst her hubby inward the West End of Louisville in addition to plant at Humana, dreaming of her side past times side performance.

“It’s my life!” Rheonna proclaims field explaining her route to stardom every bit a slam poet. In a piffling over a year, she has gone from a spectator of spoken give-and-take to a top-ranked spoken-word woman mortal poet in addition to organizer of the Lipstick Wars Poetry Slam at the Kentucky Center.

“The matter I noticed was a lack of woman mortal presence inward the spoken give-and-take scene, in addition to then I wanted to plow over women a security house to stimulate got an opinion. I started out at smaller venues, but the numbers were likewise great, in addition to then I pitched it to the Kentucky Center — in addition to who would’ve known — they agreed to produce it!” The nearly recent final result was held Oct 22.

Rheonna says the feeling of performing, of expressing yourself in addition to spewing the pent-up rage within is an amazing high, in addition to the feeling of inspiring other women to overcome their stagefright in addition to honour their vox is but every bit rewarding. “I’d similar nil to a greater extent than than to produce this amount time. I was in addition to then fortunate to walk into this world.”

Rheonna’s poems, unremarkably drafted at 4am when no 1 tin interrupt her, draw of piece of job primarily the themes of body-shaming, her culture, in addition to love. They are filled amongst anger in addition to stimulate got on an aggressive musical note — “My poems stimulate got teeth,” she says — but are, higher upward all, motivational. “I’m a large daughter in addition to I write for those girls that don’t stimulate got a voice, that may travel suicidal similar the immature girls I worked amongst at Maryhurst years ago. I similar to verbalize upward for my girls.”

So what inspires this main of the mic?

What She’s Reading:
Rheonna loves poetry. She is inspired by:
  • Maya Angelou, who she refers to every bit the “mother”
  • Langston Hughes in addition to other Harlem Renaissance poets
  • People. Not the magazine, but she likes to “read” people she comes inward contact with, such every bit the 2 Jehovah’s Witness women she watched at the laundromat recently.
What She’s Watching:
  • ESPN
  • Political debates
  • Once Upon Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Time
  • The Walking Dead
What She’s Listening To:
  • Indie music on SoundCloud
  • Ella Fitzgerald for poetic inspiration
  • “Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge, in addition to a sprinkle of Beyoncé all day, every day.”

Photo past times Sunni Wigginton 

Sumber http://www.todayswomannow.com/
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