Some 50 students gathered at the Student Activities Center, Ballroom B, for Stony Brook University’s annual Spoken Word Open Mic night on February 24. The event acts as a celebratory conclusion to Black History Month.

Josiah Forbes Hart was one of the winners of the Spoken Word Open Mic Contest.

The lights dimmed and attendees took a seat, one by one, on the mini stage. About 10 young poets went up and dictated what the theme of the event, “Owning Your Own Narrative,” means to them.

Reflecting on past and current structures of oppression against them, poets used their voices to speak of the similar struggles they face as individuals of marginalized groups. The audience snapped in appreciation and acceptance as contestants voiced their poems.

Read the full story: Students Voiced Their Stories at Black History Month’s Annual Spoken Word Open Mic