Thank You Lyrical Voices Family! 7 Year Anniversary Celebration!

Hello Lyrical Voices Family! 7 years later we fill a crowded room with poetry, art, positivity, and we open our lives up in an effort to be free of whatever has been weighing us down. I love that so many people who never shared on the mic before chose our space to break their silence. Verbal Slap represents Connecticut with so much strength and the content of their poems educate and connect with everyone who listen. Thank you Face, M.I.D.N.I.G.H.T., Proverbs, Croilot, and Frederick Douglass for using your poems to inspire, bringing your fire, and dropping your passion in our space. Alicia Cobb and Ajani Housen were honored for their dedication to document and enrich our community with their art. Lyrical Voices is lucky to have them as part of our community. DJ Buddha LuvJonz is an original in everything he does and the way his music matches all our moments brings the evening to the next level of beauty. Thanks to Gerald Moore for allowing us to occupy Gallery 1212 for as long as it takes to leave with a clear spirit. I thank everyone for their motivation and inspiration. I am glad this venue touches lives including my own. If you didn’t come it wouldn’t exist and it’s important to recognize that we celebrate our community. It is bigger than an individual or a group but how we engage the community and share what we know about art and dedication to our passion when we leave the platform. Your love and support is necessary. The fact that you are so generous with it is the heart beat of Lyrical Voices. Stick with us as we move forward! There is much more to experience. LOVE. Shanna www.PoeticSoulArts.net www.shatamel.blogspot.com

(Paintings Left of photo are by Alicia Cobb. Two large paintings to the right of photo are by Shanna Melton "Behind Every Strong Black Man Is A..." & "Praise"

(Shanna Melton hosting our Lyrical Voices 7 Year Anniversary!!)

(Alicia Cobb {www.artsimplicated.com} & Ajani Housen being awarded for their growth and contributions in our Connecticut artist community and beyond.)

(Connecticut's slam team Verbal Slap!!! They rocked the room!!! Left to Right: Proverbs, M.I.D.N.I.G.H.T., Frederick Douglass, Croilot, Face Thanks to you all for bringing all of your passion to the space and representing our state so well!)

(DJ Buddha LuvJonz of www.luvjonz.com providing an artistic discussions moment on behalf of his art and business LuvJonz Ent.)

(Lala gathering the energy of our evening and holding it in her journal for safe keeping!) Thank you all for your contributions toward making Lyrical Voices an empowering love space! (Photographs provided by Ajani Housen of LuvJonz Ent.)