OctPoWriMo 2014: Social activism and poetry

The world is an overwhelming complex thing with millions of people interacting, taking stances for and against an idea, a movement. Writing poetry about society issues can help to bring into focus and cut through the red tape of misinformation and biased accounts, cauterize them with your feelings. There's other people out there who too are interested in writing about society and what they see. You just have to look. I've found an event for you that may be of interest, if you have something to say about society.

100 Thousand Poets for Change is a worldwide event that started in 2011. The event was started by Michael Rothenberg and Terri Carrion in California. The idea was to have a worldwide event on one day featuring poetry and other forms of art focusing lo. The real work is done by local organizers who put together events where participates can get involved. The year Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 is the date for this global event. 

The first order of change is for poets, writers, musicians, artists, activists to get together to create and perform, educate and demonstrate, simultaneously, with other communities around the world. This will change how we see our local community and the global community. We have all become incredibly alienated in recent years. We hardly know our neighbors down the street let alone our creative allies who live and share our concerns in other countries. We need to feel this kind of global solidarity. It will be empowering. -from 100tpc.org

There is a Facebook Page and an official web site where you can find out what's happening locally. If there's not anything happening, you can organize something yourself, or write a poem about social issues that you find important and share it.

Would you be interested in participating in something like this? 

16 Days Until OctPoWriMo! 


Tamara Woods was raised (fairly happily) in West Virginia, where she began writing poetry at the age of 12. She shares poetry and short stories on her blog PenPaperPad, is a contributing writer for the online ‘zineLefty Pop and writes articles as a full-time freelance writer. She is editor for an upcoming poetry journal collaboration, and hosts #writestuff TweetChat where writers talk about writing. She is a hillbilly hermit in Honolulu living with her Mathmagician.