In times of great uncertainty and political unrest, community is more important than ever. To be in a space in which everyone is experiencing those moments can be incredibly healing, as it validates those fears and anxieties while also providing a sense of comfort.
As Martin Luther King Jr. week approached its end, the Cornell community found such a space. On January 23, students and faculty gathered in Zamora’s Lounge to honor the reverend and activist in an Open Mic Night. The event, hosted by the spoken word club Lyrically Inclined, the Black Awareness Cultural Organization (BACO) and the Office of Intercultural Life, encouraged attendees to participate in whatever ways they felt comfortable, whether that was by speaking or listening. A number of students took the stage throughout the night, sharing their poetry in an intimate yet electrifying setting as audience members hummed and snapped their fingers in praise. From reflections on modern-day political activism and the Pledge of Allegiance to the meaning of hope, the spoken word covered a diverse range of topics from people of all different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
The event welcomed alum Henry Morray ‘23 as its host. During his time at Cornell, Henry served as president of Lyrically Inclined, vice president of BACO, and coordinator for International Student Orientation/Each One, Teach One. To collaborate with these three groups again, he says, “was an absolute honor and privilege.” As host, Henry performed a number of poems at the event, one of which was familiar to many. His poem “The Afrobeats of My Heart” made its debut at the MLK Jr. Open Mic Night and Culture Show in 2023. It was inspired by King’s sermon “Loving Your Enemies” and his speech “Drum Major Instinct.”
An open mic allows speakers and listeners alike to inhabit a collective space and exchange thoughts and ideas, emotions and truths. For Cornell to offer spaces like this is incredibly needed, especially during such a polarizing time in this country’s history. “The irony of the inauguration falling on MLK Jr. Day did not fall short on me and my peers,” Henry said after the event. “If King was alive today, I’m convinced that he would not shrink from the adversity of the times. Instead, he would stand tall against injustice and tyranny.” Such an act would not go unchallenged by the current administration, but this just serves as a reminder that our voices – all of our voices – hold power.
“Truly the most valuable part of this event was listening to Cornellian students and hearing their powerful voices,” Henry says. “I’m very grateful for the vehicle that is spoken word and poetry, which transported and oscillated our drifted and anxious minds in and out of the past, in and out of the future, and into the present moment, into a collective catharsis.”
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