so this talk is about how to not pull a
me and how to be intentional with your
art what does that mean I’ll explain
shortly however before we begin my name
is Allie Ford I’m a spoken word artist
and I also help around community open
mics here in Manchester Connecticut on
the left you can see me being really
pretty and on the right you can see me
being really pretty with my team and at
these open mics we have zero censorship
however it does not mean that anyone can
perform whatever they want because we
value keeping the space safe why is that
so important please give your
imagination for me real quick so you’re
going to the community open mic for the
very first time ever you’ve never been
to one of these so you get there you
walk and watch the act
um come up one by one you wonder if that
cube soundcloud rapper is single he’s
not and after that soundcloud rapper
another poet comes up and they have you
really taken aback just because the poem
is just so offensive disgusting vulgar
and overall really problematic and at
this point you don’t ever want to come
back to an open mic and you don’t
because it was just that bad well when
that does happen it’s never really bad
deep it’s it doesn’t make the space a
little uncomfortable for a brief moment
but it doesn’t really take away take
away from the entire night but what how
would I know so much about being
problematic well I was that problematic
Polo’s poet one time when was I
problematic at all um well just to
preface it this is my poetry coach ryan
parker he’s been what he’s been coaching
me for the past four years which is a
long time to be putting up with me
he has always drilled an intentionality
into me and all my teammates constantly
asking
one of the piece before me what does
this piece do for your immediate
audience and what does this piece do for
your community at large and of course I
never really got it I just really
figured I could just create art and it
would just be that but I never really
understood what it meant to keep a space
safe when I was 14 I really wanted to be
a cool cat like I’m not even gonna and I
really valued the opinions of my peers
however I was also very depressed during
this time and in Parker really knew that
because he would coach these pieces I
would write and that would reflect that
I wanted these before in one of these
open mikes um he asked me if what I was
performing would be safe and of course I
was like yes of course it’s gonna be
safe but clearly I lied I had two really
problematic options for a poem one of
them would be a really depressing piece
that would not be okay for me to be
performing I’ll explain shortly why it
would not be okay and the second one was
a really vulgar piece that and just
included a tons of swearing and was
about the sexual ization of female
bodies from a male’s perspective um the
way I just explained it completely fine
however the execution of the poem was
not okay
so long story short Parker dragged me
off stage that night okay he just like
turns on the music and like took me to
the back to talk to me and I was so mad
at him I told him I told him like this
thing is censorship free why would you
do this and he told me Allie you have
like you have a responsibility as an
artist and I was like no I don’t I man
I’m fourteen and i’m duper-sorry about
this which no I was
but after a while I came to the
realization I wasn’t mostly because my
teammates showed me this picture of a
woman who was watching me perform that
night and I don’t have a picture now but
she looked a little bit like this so
safe to say I was wrong and for once and
after two years of thinking about this
I’ve come to the realization that Parker
was not trying to strip me of my
artistic integrity but only trying to
remind me of it I’ve been being vulgar
and a piece isn’t really necessary
unless I’m doing it with an intention
and I didn’t need the approval of my
peers because my art was already valid
as because it was mine and it would not
sustain time if I did it for others or
if I just continuously wrote something
just for the heck of it so what is a
sustainable art but like how do I you
make it well art its art that sustains
time that can be reused and will remain
relevant throughout the years such as
Shakespeare he his work is still being
taught after thousands of years or Frida
Kahlo and another good example is this
guy he’s been he literally just won’t
want a full surprise for his art and his
art we already know that his art will be
everlasting and I also know about
sustainable art because well I’ve
learned from my mistakes I’ve become a
more intentional artist and I am NOT the
problematic person I was wanted
but I have a poem today it’s called
cinque girl and i do consistently use a
racial slur throughout the piece and I
do swear a couple of times if that makes
me uncomfortable then you are more than
welcome to leave during this performance
but if not then I will really get into
jinx girl got all mukha eyes cut them
open a little wider so I could see what
she sees cut them open a little whiter
so she a little easier to desire chink
girl fluent em math equations ching
chong the violin and everything else in
between except driving chink grabbed
valedictorian Ivy League doctor
best-selling author Nobel Prize chink
girl so spice but her flower tight and I
want to be the one to pick two pedals
chink girl born American but still need
to go back to China chink girl don’t
mess with chink boys she want to mix her
babies up someone they eat that rice is
a little easier for them to swallow
drink girl loud with that silence chink
girl got you with your fill girl chink
girl not even your chink girl drink girl
for Mama’s a not drink girl tired of you
calling her a chink chink girl not chink
girl pink girl Filipino girls Filipino
girl think oh I some goth Filipino girl
got almond her eyes that she ain’t
cutting water because she don’t need to
be desired Filipino girl don’t mess with
math Filipino girl won’t be I believe
but she still gonna make more money than
you Filipino girl loud with her voice
Filipino girl is tired of your
Bunga doesn’t know Filipino girl Filipino girl beautiful despite what
Filipino girl beautiful despite what song it thinks I wrote this on behalf of
song it thinks I wrote this on behalf of my people we are not your human
my people we are not your human calculators where you’re not your eye
calculators where you’re not your eye candy we are not made to fit in your box
candy we are not made to fit in your box we are walking masterpieces that demand
we are walking masterpieces that demand your respect will not let you be our new
your respect will not let you be our new internment camp
I was that about a year yeah good year ago and I’ve been in performing it too
ago and I’ve been in performing it too many times it was intended to be the
many times it was intended to be the beginning of a grant I wrote for my
beginning of a grant I wrote for my humanities class about the
humanities class about the discriminations that Asian Americans
discriminations that Asian Americans faced and what I wanted to do but to
faced and what I wanted to do but to really show what I faced as an
really show what I faced as an asian-american and the stereotypes that
asian-american and the stereotypes that were put on me however I wanted it to be
were put on me however I wanted it to be strong and I also wanted to take those
strong and I also wanted to take those stereotypes back and be my own person
stereotypes back and be my own person so my but that my intentions were
so my but that my intentions were executed and I only swore literally
executed and I only swore literally twice in that poem I didn’t really fail
twice in that poem I didn’t really fail to me that just where any time other
to me that just where any time other than that just that’s in those two
than that just that’s in those two swearing’s I mean swear word if I only
swearing’s I mean swear word if I only just to UM communicate my frustration
just to UM communicate my frustration with the amount of stereotypes that I’ve
with the amount of stereotypes that I’ve been facing and yes I’ve used this poem
been facing and yes I’ve used this poem way too many times I’ve performed it so
way too many times I’ve performed it so many times my teammate in the audience
many times my teammate in the audience right now is probably tired of hearing
right now is probably tired of hearing this home I’m so sorry
this home I’m so sorry um and it’s been and it’s been and I’ve
um and it’s been and it’s been and I’ve used it as
and it’s been used at the same every time and it’s executed the same purpose
time and it’s executed the same purpose every single time and every time I’ve
every single time and every time I’ve been finished performing it people have
been finished performing it people have come up to me and said wow I’ve really
come up to me and said wow I’ve really related to this as an asian-american or
related to this as an asian-american or as another person of color who’s faced
as another person of color who’s faced stereotypes or any type of racism and so
stereotypes or any type of racism and so at the end of this all this it really
at the end of this all this it really this piece benefited me my immediate
this piece benefited me my immediate audience and community at large so I’ve
audience and community at large so I’ve gone on about how I’ve realized how to
gone on about how I’ve realized how to be intentional as an artist but what
be intentional as an artist but what does it mean for me for you guys to be
does it mean for me for you guys to be intentional how do you guys mask your
intentional how do you guys mask your that well first off follow Parker’s all
that well first off follow Parker’s all right about this mate and I’m not right
right about this mate and I’m not right about this but always be intentional and
about this but always be intentional and always ask yourself what does this do
always ask yourself what does this do for me what does this do for my
for me what does this do for my immediate audience and what does this do
immediate audience and what does this do for my community at large and also check
for my community at large and also check your execution of the piece the second
your execution of the piece the second one is that there’s a big difference
one is that there’s a big difference between over sharing and being
between over sharing and being vulnerable while we will nourish our you
together after you perform something what your peers be disappointed in you
what your peers be disappointed in you my parents have wanted to disown me a
my parents have wanted to disown me a good amount of time throughout my life
good amount of time throughout my life I’m a lot to handle do not if they saw
I’m a lot to handle do not if they saw me perform that piece a couple of years
me perform that piece a couple of years ago they probably would have definitely
ago they probably would have definitely disowned me don’t be me so if you aren’t
disowned me don’t be me so if you aren’t open to continuing a conversation after
open to continuing a conversation after this piece you’re better off not
this piece you’re better off not performing it while well like well
performing it while well like well people do perform a lot of vulnerable
people do perform a lot of vulnerable pieces we do not want you to open for
pieces we do not want you to open for rules that
rules that happen to still not have healed yet and
happen to still not have healed yet and what oh and also keep in mind the first
what oh and also keep in mind the first question that Parker asked and what does
question that Parker asked and what does this piece do for me if you aren’t ready
this piece do for me if you aren’t ready to really talk more in death about a
to really talk more in death about a piece that may be personal to you then
piece that may be personal to you then it’s better off you don’t perform it
it’s better off you don’t perform it shocking your audience with derogatory
shocking your audience with derogatory language or a message will not make them
language or a message will not make them listen to you
listen to you well that’s pretty point-blank if I just
well that’s pretty point-blank if I just cussed up here a couple just some too
cussed up here a couple just some too many times then no no one will probably
many times then no no one will probably want to listen to me and would just
want to listen to me and would just mostly hear the swear words and it will
mostly hear the swear words and it will not make your audience want to listen to
not make your audience want to listen to you or furthermore relay that message
you or furthermore relay that message that you want to spread trigger warnings
that you want to spread trigger warnings are actually super duper helpful to
are actually super duper helpful to those who need it a lot of people suffer
those who need it a lot of people suffer with anxiety or other mental disorders
with anxiety or other mental disorders that can really set and be set off at
that can really set and be set off at certain times so if you happen to have a
certain times so if you happen to have a Content warning before you perform
Content warning before you perform something people will really appreciate
something people will really appreciate that these steps are universal no matter
that these steps are universal no matter what type of artist you are whether
what type of artist you are whether you’re a soundcloud rapper whether
you’re a soundcloud rapper whether you’re a youtuber whether here a visual
you’re a youtuber whether here a visual artist or any type of artist at that you
artist or any type of artist at that you can use these steps to your advantage to
can use these steps to your advantage to be more intentional and create a savior
be more intentional and create a savior space and with that understand that are
space and with that understand that are in the function of art is to make us all
in the function of art is to make us all function and with that think
me and how to be intentional with your
art what does that mean I’ll explain
shortly however before we begin my name
is Allie Ford I’m a spoken word artist
and I also help around community open
mics here in Manchester Connecticut on
the left you can see me being really
pretty and on the right you can see me
being really pretty with my team and at
these open mics we have zero censorship
however it does not mean that anyone can
perform whatever they want because we
value keeping the space safe why is that
so important please give your
imagination for me real quick so you’re
going to the community open mic for the
very first time ever you’ve never been
to one of these so you get there you
walk and watch the act
um come up one by one you wonder if that
cube soundcloud rapper is single he’s
not and after that soundcloud rapper
another poet comes up and they have you
really taken aback just because the poem
is just so offensive disgusting vulgar
and overall really problematic and at
this point you don’t ever want to come
back to an open mic and you don’t
because it was just that bad well when
that does happen it’s never really bad
deep it’s it doesn’t make the space a
little uncomfortable for a brief moment
but it doesn’t really take away take
away from the entire night but what how
would I know so much about being
problematic well I was that problematic
Polo’s poet one time when was I
problematic at all um well just to
preface it this is my poetry coach ryan
parker he’s been what he’s been coaching
me for the past four years which is a
long time to be putting up with me
he has always drilled an intentionality
into me and all my teammates constantly
asking
one of the piece before me what does
this piece do for your immediate
audience and what does this piece do for
your community at large and of course I
never really got it I just really
figured I could just create art and it
would just be that but I never really
understood what it meant to keep a space
safe when I was 14 I really wanted to be
a cool cat like I’m not even gonna and I
really valued the opinions of my peers
however I was also very depressed during
this time and in Parker really knew that
because he would coach these pieces I
would write and that would reflect that
I wanted these before in one of these
open mikes um he asked me if what I was
performing would be safe and of course I
was like yes of course it’s gonna be
safe but clearly I lied I had two really
problematic options for a poem one of
them would be a really depressing piece
that would not be okay for me to be
performing I’ll explain shortly why it
would not be okay and the second one was
a really vulgar piece that and just
included a tons of swearing and was
about the sexual ization of female
bodies from a male’s perspective um the
way I just explained it completely fine
however the execution of the poem was
not okay
so long story short Parker dragged me
off stage that night okay he just like
turns on the music and like took me to
the back to talk to me and I was so mad
at him I told him I told him like this
thing is censorship free why would you
do this and he told me Allie you have
like you have a responsibility as an
artist and I was like no I don’t I man
I’m fourteen and i’m duper-sorry about
this which no I was
but after a while I came to the
realization I wasn’t mostly because my
teammates showed me this picture of a
woman who was watching me perform that
night and I don’t have a picture now but
she looked a little bit like this so
safe to say I was wrong and for once and
after two years of thinking about this
I’ve come to the realization that Parker
was not trying to strip me of my
artistic integrity but only trying to
remind me of it I’ve been being vulgar
and a piece isn’t really necessary
unless I’m doing it with an intention
and I didn’t need the approval of my
peers because my art was already valid
as because it was mine and it would not
sustain time if I did it for others or
if I just continuously wrote something
just for the heck of it so what is a
sustainable art but like how do I you
make it well art its art that sustains
time that can be reused and will remain
relevant throughout the years such as
Shakespeare he his work is still being
taught after thousands of years or Frida
Kahlo and another good example is this
guy he’s been he literally just won’t
want a full surprise for his art and his
art we already know that his art will be
everlasting and I also know about
sustainable art because well I’ve
learned from my mistakes I’ve become a
more intentional artist and I am NOT the
problematic person I was wanted
but I have a poem today it’s called
cinque girl and i do consistently use a
racial slur throughout the piece and I
do swear a couple of times if that makes
me uncomfortable then you are more than
welcome to leave during this performance
but if not then I will really get into
jinx girl got all mukha eyes cut them
open a little wider so I could see what
she sees cut them open a little whiter
so she a little easier to desire chink
girl fluent em math equations ching
chong the violin and everything else in
between except driving chink grabbed
valedictorian Ivy League doctor
best-selling author Nobel Prize chink
girl so spice but her flower tight and I
want to be the one to pick two pedals
chink girl born American but still need
to go back to China chink girl don’t
mess with chink boys she want to mix her
babies up someone they eat that rice is
a little easier for them to swallow
drink girl loud with that silence chink
girl got you with your fill girl chink
girl not even your chink girl drink girl
for Mama’s a not drink girl tired of you
calling her a chink chink girl not chink
girl pink girl Filipino girls Filipino
girl think oh I some goth Filipino girl
got almond her eyes that she ain’t
cutting water because she don’t need to
be desired Filipino girl don’t mess with
math Filipino girl won’t be I believe
but she still gonna make more money than
you Filipino girl loud with her voice
Filipino girl is tired of your
Bunga doesn’t know Filipino girl Filipino girl beautiful despite what
Filipino girl beautiful despite what song it thinks I wrote this on behalf of
song it thinks I wrote this on behalf of my people we are not your human
my people we are not your human calculators where you’re not your eye
calculators where you’re not your eye candy we are not made to fit in your box
candy we are not made to fit in your box we are walking masterpieces that demand
we are walking masterpieces that demand your respect will not let you be our new
your respect will not let you be our new internment camp
I was that about a year yeah good year ago and I’ve been in performing it too
ago and I’ve been in performing it too many times it was intended to be the
many times it was intended to be the beginning of a grant I wrote for my
beginning of a grant I wrote for my humanities class about the
humanities class about the discriminations that Asian Americans
discriminations that Asian Americans faced and what I wanted to do but to
faced and what I wanted to do but to really show what I faced as an
really show what I faced as an asian-american and the stereotypes that
asian-american and the stereotypes that were put on me however I wanted it to be
were put on me however I wanted it to be strong and I also wanted to take those
strong and I also wanted to take those stereotypes back and be my own person
stereotypes back and be my own person so my but that my intentions were
so my but that my intentions were executed and I only swore literally
executed and I only swore literally twice in that poem I didn’t really fail
twice in that poem I didn’t really fail to me that just where any time other
to me that just where any time other than that just that’s in those two
than that just that’s in those two swearing’s I mean swear word if I only
swearing’s I mean swear word if I only just to UM communicate my frustration
just to UM communicate my frustration with the amount of stereotypes that I’ve
with the amount of stereotypes that I’ve been facing and yes I’ve used this poem
been facing and yes I’ve used this poem way too many times I’ve performed it so
way too many times I’ve performed it so many times my teammate in the audience
many times my teammate in the audience right now is probably tired of hearing
right now is probably tired of hearing this home I’m so sorry
this home I’m so sorry um and it’s been and it’s been and I’ve
um and it’s been and it’s been and I’ve used it as
and it’s been used at the same every time and it’s executed the same purpose
time and it’s executed the same purpose every single time and every time I’ve
every single time and every time I’ve been finished performing it people have
been finished performing it people have come up to me and said wow I’ve really
come up to me and said wow I’ve really related to this as an asian-american or
related to this as an asian-american or as another person of color who’s faced
as another person of color who’s faced stereotypes or any type of racism and so
stereotypes or any type of racism and so at the end of this all this it really
at the end of this all this it really this piece benefited me my immediate
this piece benefited me my immediate audience and community at large so I’ve
audience and community at large so I’ve gone on about how I’ve realized how to
gone on about how I’ve realized how to be intentional as an artist but what
be intentional as an artist but what does it mean for me for you guys to be
does it mean for me for you guys to be intentional how do you guys mask your
intentional how do you guys mask your that well first off follow Parker’s all
that well first off follow Parker’s all right about this mate and I’m not right
right about this mate and I’m not right about this but always be intentional and
about this but always be intentional and always ask yourself what does this do
always ask yourself what does this do for me what does this do for my
for me what does this do for my immediate audience and what does this do
immediate audience and what does this do for my community at large and also check
for my community at large and also check your execution of the piece the second
your execution of the piece the second one is that there’s a big difference
one is that there’s a big difference between over sharing and being
between over sharing and being vulnerable while we will nourish our you
together after you perform something what your peers be disappointed in you
what your peers be disappointed in you my parents have wanted to disown me a
my parents have wanted to disown me a good amount of time throughout my life
good amount of time throughout my life I’m a lot to handle do not if they saw
I’m a lot to handle do not if they saw me perform that piece a couple of years
me perform that piece a couple of years ago they probably would have definitely
ago they probably would have definitely disowned me don’t be me so if you aren’t
disowned me don’t be me so if you aren’t open to continuing a conversation after
open to continuing a conversation after this piece you’re better off not
this piece you’re better off not performing it while well like well
performing it while well like well people do perform a lot of vulnerable
people do perform a lot of vulnerable pieces we do not want you to open for
pieces we do not want you to open for rules that
rules that happen to still not have healed yet and
happen to still not have healed yet and what oh and also keep in mind the first
what oh and also keep in mind the first question that Parker asked and what does
question that Parker asked and what does this piece do for me if you aren’t ready
this piece do for me if you aren’t ready to really talk more in death about a
to really talk more in death about a piece that may be personal to you then
piece that may be personal to you then it’s better off you don’t perform it
it’s better off you don’t perform it shocking your audience with derogatory
shocking your audience with derogatory language or a message will not make them
language or a message will not make them listen to you
listen to you well that’s pretty point-blank if I just
well that’s pretty point-blank if I just cussed up here a couple just some too
cussed up here a couple just some too many times then no no one will probably
many times then no no one will probably want to listen to me and would just
want to listen to me and would just mostly hear the swear words and it will
mostly hear the swear words and it will not make your audience want to listen to
not make your audience want to listen to you or furthermore relay that message
you or furthermore relay that message that you want to spread trigger warnings
that you want to spread trigger warnings are actually super duper helpful to
are actually super duper helpful to those who need it a lot of people suffer
those who need it a lot of people suffer with anxiety or other mental disorders
with anxiety or other mental disorders that can really set and be set off at
that can really set and be set off at certain times so if you happen to have a
certain times so if you happen to have a Content warning before you perform
Content warning before you perform something people will really appreciate
something people will really appreciate that these steps are universal no matter
that these steps are universal no matter what type of artist you are whether
what type of artist you are whether you’re a soundcloud rapper whether
you’re a soundcloud rapper whether you’re a youtuber whether here a visual
you’re a youtuber whether here a visual artist or any type of artist at that you
artist or any type of artist at that you can use these steps to your advantage to
can use these steps to your advantage to be more intentional and create a savior
be more intentional and create a savior space and with that understand that are
space and with that understand that are in the function of art is to make us all
in the function of art is to make us all function and with that think
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