The MLK Legacy Project is hosting a virtual Poetry Night Oct. 1 as part of its annual series of events to promote a better understanding of race and racism in the Westerville community.
The group — which started as a Leadership Westerville subcommittee that focused on the annual breakfast in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. — wanted to increase awareness of social justice through poetry with their upcoming event.
“Poetry is an art form that helps humans express and experience feelings and emotions, even actions and events, in a way that we otherwise have difficulty talking about or even accessing,” said Stephanie Henderson, who coordinates the MLK Legacy Project Community Conversations efforts.
“Since poetry is focused on relaying experience in a highly salient way, there is great potential for it to be utilized as a means to build empathy and bridge gaps of understanding between people who come from differing backgrounds,” she said.
The family-friendly event will feature the works of Langston Hughes, Dudley Randall, Royce Mann and Keah Brown. Several Westerville City Schools teachers and staff members were part of the poetry night’s planning committee.
The event runs from 6:30-7:45 p.m. Oct.1. In order to receive a Zoom link to the free virtual event, register through Leadership Westerville.