Homecoming: Return of the Mothership

every.Word Poetry is celebrating its two-year anniversary with Homecoming: Return of the Mothership, an open mic fundraiser at The VORTEX on Monday, July 20. The night runs from 8 PM to 10 PM, and the suggested donation is $10—pay what you can. It's open to everyone, from long-time regulars to first-timers.

Jasmine Games and Michael Hatcher host the evening, which centers on an open mic for poets and musicians. Alongside that, there's a mini slam showcase featuring every.Word poets who competed at the Blackberry Peach National Poetry Slam. The night also includes a live art auction and a champagne toast with Martinelli's. If you're coming early, there's a pre-show gathering at The Butterfly Bar with food from Patrizi's. The community prompt for the night is "every.Word I wanna say to you..."

To get some context on what this is: every.Word Poetry is a program of The Poet House, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to uplift spoken word artists through workshops, open mics, and live performances. The Poet House describes itself as a care-centered community that uplifts the marginalized. Homecoming is framed as a night of poetry, celebration, and fundraising to support another year of accessible, community-centered programming.

So, it's an open mic, a mini slam, a live art auction, and a toast, all under one roof. The VORTEX is at 2307 Manor Road #2135, and the whole thing runs from 8 PM to 10 PM on Monday, July 20.