In a collaborative event with the American University of Beirut, Rafik Hariri University brought U.S. spoken-word poetry superstar Dasha Kelly to Lebanon last week for writing/performance workshops and a performance named Poetry Out Loud. The workshops and event aim to connect Lebanon’s blossoming spoken-word poetry community.
Kelly led a two-day workshop at AUB for students and faculty from RHU and AUB, and the general public, followed by a performance at RHU with famous Lebanese poet Dr. Mahdi Mansour, a guest poet from Tunesia and poets from two Beirut-based poetry collectives, Raw Voices and 101 Poetry Nights.
The event was sponsored by RHU’s College of Arts and the Office of Student Affairs, in collaboration with the American University of Beirut.
Ms Kelly, the Milwaukee USA Artist of the Year 2016, is an accomplished author and poet who has performed throughout North America and served as the U.S. Embassy’s Arts Envoy to Botswana. She toured with HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, and is recently back from a national book tour for the publication of her latest novel, Almost Crimson. Her poetry, novels, and essay and short story collections are very popular in the U.S.
Joining Ms Kelly on stage was internationally award-winning Lebanese poet Dr. Mahdi Mansour, who recently performed at AUB’s 150 anniversary celebration.
RHU alumna and singer Elissar Saab performed a variety of popular and alternative rock acoustic guitar songs. Vendors from the Food Heritage Foundation were on-site, selling traditional Lebanese dishes and fresh-squeezed lemonade. All food purchases served to support Lebanon’s rural economy.