Wednesday, March 12
7:30 P.M.

Coconino Center for the Arts
2300 N. Fort Valley Road
Flagstaff, Arizona

Tickets are available ONLINE and at Arizona Music Pro in Flagstaff.



Traditional Ties is presented in partnership by Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music (FFOTM) and Flagstaff Cultural Partners.  Both are non-profit organizations.

Celebrations of Culture: Saturday, March 8

NORAZ poet, Myrlin Hepworth, is fairly new to the spoken word scene.  He began performing in poetry venues in Tempe and Phoenix, and within one year was accepted into the local poetry community. I asked Hepworth to reflect on his interests in writing and poetry from his childhood.

Hepworth was exposed to a diversity of cultures and ideas while growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his mom and traveling around the northwest with his dad on speaking engagements.  His father, a college professor in Idaho, would take Hepworth with him on literary tours.  As a kid, he hung around writing workshops and summer retreats.  Though he was exposed to writing, he didn't have much interest in writing or in academia growing up. 

It wasn't until he boarded his plane to move to Phoenix that books of poetry first impacted him.  Particularly, he was very moved by the poems of Jimmy Santiago Baca.  He says he was "engaged and loved all of it".  Hepworth began to write a lot, but in a more traditional literary style of poetry.  After seeing NORAZ poet, Aaron Johnson, at a poetry slam, Hepworth realized "I can do that!" He got on the mic at his next opportunity.  Soon after, NORAZ poet, Christopher Lane got him involved with workshops for students.  "Since then, I've been trying to get my hands on whatever I can," Hepworth says. 

Hepworth began noticing the response from youth he was working with when writing poetry. Working at the high school level, Hepworth was impressed with the students overcoming their fears of reading poetry in front of their peers.  He tells me, "Once they do it, they gain confidence.  Watching this transformation is a breath-taking experience".

His favorite part of spoken word and performing poetry is how it can be used as a vehicle for so many things: "how it can transform kids, how it brings new things out in people, and how it influences people".  In noticing these transformations in other people, Hepworth was having the similar experiences.  In retrospect, Hepworth admits his "whole lifestyle and way of thinking has changed because of the poets he looked up to".  He began to recognize and question things that he had before accepted without question.

One particular poet who addresses issues of sexism, forced him to rethink socially preconceived notions about men and women.  Hepworth compares it to his understanding of racism.  While a lot of people think of lynchings and extreme violence as racism, it includes other acts in society.  He says, "racism is vague and broad, and can exist in so many situations".

Not only does he believe he is more sensitive to social issues than he was before he became involved in poetry, it has also helped with his drive for education.  Hepworth explains, "I valued education, but wasn't a hard worker.  Now as a poet, I realize how much there is to learn."  It has helped him understand himself as an individual and begin to understand the world.  Although he is pursuing a degree in English at Mesa Community College, he is interested in classes in Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology. 

The best piece of advice Hepworth has received is to "write what you know."  He explains, "the more you know about the world, the more you have to write about."  Hepworth tries to transfer this motivation to the youth he works with.  He often tells students about his own childhood and tries to relate to the way they view their world.  He tries to "push them to discover what the world is and who they are."  Young people today are consumed by dating and fashion.  Hepworth says these distractions as "preventing us from finding who we are."

Hepworth is excited about going into Flagstaff schools as one of the leaders for classroom workshops and presentations.  From March 11-13, Christopher Lane and Myrlin will go to four high schools and work with students on poetry and spoken word in preparation for Young Voices Be Heard Poetry Festival, held at the Center for the Arts March 28 - 30.  For him, the fact that many schools are participating in these events, illustrates a bigger movement in spoken word performance.  He is thrilled to participate in the festival with accomplished poets like Sherwin Bitsui and Stella Pope Duarte.  Each poet will bring his/her own experiences, there will be so much to offer, that it can't possibly fail. 


To contact Myrlin, email him or check out his webpage.  He will be participating at our March 8th event, Celebrations of Culture, as well as Young Voices Be Heard, which takes place March 28 - 30 at the Coconino Center for the Arts.

March 28-30, 2008

Spoken word festival features workshops for youth, readings by youth, and featured professional poets/writers: Sherwin Bitsui, Mary Sojourner and Stella Pope Duarte. Not to be missed!

Poetry Festival Schedule

Friday, March 28, 6-8pm:
Opening Reception with Readings by Sherwin Bitsui, Mary Sojourner, and Myrlin Hepworth

Saturday, March 29
10am -12pm:
Workshops* for local youth:
      Creative Writing w/Sherwin Bitsui
      Metaphors All Around w/Christopher Lane

2-4pm:
Workshops* for local youth:
    Young Women Writers w/Mary Sojourner
    Spoken Word Performance w/Myrlin Hepworth

*workshops are open to all youth 13-18 years
      (register by calling 779-2300)

6-8pm:
Youth Poetry Slam!
At Applesauce Tea House, 213 South San Francisco Street, downtown Flagstaff

Sunday, March 30
10am-12pm:
Reading and Creative Writing Workshop w/Stella Pope Duarte

2pm:
Youth Spoken Word Performances

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Flagstaff Cultural Partners' programs are made possible in part by a partnership with the City of Flagstaff, with funding from the Bed, Board and Beverage (BBB) Tax.