Sofia Gutierrez has found community at Community Folk Art Center’s Snaps & Taps Open Mic Night.
Gutierrez had stepped away from writing poetry until recently, when she found “Snaps & Taps,” a monthly spoken word series. Gutierrez found CFAC as a comfortable space to reintroduce and share her poetic prose.
“I have always wanted to share my poetry, but never felt empowered until recently to kind of claim that artist/poet identity. So I am dipping my toe,” Gutierrez said. “… With the support and everything, I thought that it was time to claim that.”
For the last three years, “Snaps and Taps” has offered Syracuse community members and visitors a platform to showcase their talents. It welcomes poets, singers, and orators that range in experience from first-timers to experts.
The next “Snaps & Taps” is scheduled for March 26 at 6 p.m. at CFAC. The event is free and open to the public. Each event features a range of poets and performers. Last month’s event featured Gutierrez, Kofi Antwi, Cheeki Williams and Glenn Simmons. The event was moderated by Ricky Maeweather, also known as Randum Poet, and it was deejayed by Luther Masanto (DJ ShyGuy). Maeweather opened the floor to guests who wanted to sign up the day off and perform as well.
Antwi is the education outreach program coordinator at CFAC and started the role in November. He helped facilitate a February performance by Gutierrez. Antwi asked Gutierrez to join the program as a panelist and performer, Gutierrez said. She performed two poems: “Soil” and “It’s Metered Control.”
Antwi is also a poet and performed two poems from his book “Tidal Waves.” One of the prominent themes Antwi explores in his work is family and his Ghanaian heritage. Both are important to him.
Originally from New York City, Antwi first visited CFAC about two years ago when he was hired as a poetry instructor for the Creative Arts Academy, the center’s after school program.
“I noticed how lively these workshops and these events are, so I was like, ‘we have to continue this.’ And this is an initiative that CFAC wants here as well,” Antwi said.
When Williams first entered CFAC, nearly three years for a yoga class, she instantly felt at home.
Her comfort at CFAC has paved the way for several opportunities for Williams, including recurring performances, teaching workshops and Williams’ involvement in CFAC’s most recent “This Woman’s Work” exhibition as an artist and panelist.
“Before I was even teaching here, I came to visit, and I liked the energy that was in the room. It reminded me of New York City open mics,” Williams said.”
It was the first open mic that I’ve been to that kind of gave me that feel. There was a mixed crowd, a mixed group of people. Everybody was welcome and that was a good feeling. It wasn’t exclusive.”
At the open mic night, Williams performed her popular poems: “Planted. Not Buried” and “Insight.”
Glenn Simmons is an Ithaca-based spoken word artist. His writing explores history, science, love, and relationships, and he uses these topics to share his experiences with art and being an African American man, he said.
“For me to try to give something that’s “conscious” but also palatable, that’s where the effort is for me” he said.
He travels to Syracuse often to perform at CFAC and co-facilitated with Antwi a few writing workshops at the center.
The rest of the year’s open mics have been set. Each month’s events will be moderated by different local poets and spoken word artists. Although Antwi considers Maeweather as CFAC’s resident poet, he intentionally recruited more poets and artists to host the events, particularly women, he said.
Starting next month, Gutierrez will lead the event. Williams and Simmons will host the events in the coming months.
“I’m trying to work with everyone here … I feel like poetry should be inclusive,” Antwi said. “I don’t want CFAC to feel or create a program where it’s just one person that is pushing this program.”
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