Looking for a supportive environment to showcase your artistic talents? Join Poesis. They strive to upkeep a positive, laid-back, and inspirational environment for all new talent. They encompass only “good vibes” and are a “no hate zone” atmosphere. The foundation for the existence of Poesis is “Self-expression is a vital part of understanding life, and enjoying it to the full,” a quote from author Oliver Bowden.
West Chester University’s Poesis is a fairly new and upcoming organization and is often misconstrued as an organization strictly for poetry writers and singers. According to both co-presidents Derrick Ford and Ivan Pichardo, their goal is to “revamp” the organization and make it more artistically diverse. Poesis is open to dance, rap, fashion, comedy, actors, painters, musicians, and anything that can open a creative mind to feel more inspired. Pichardo adds that you “don’t need a special talent” to join Poesis; they are looking for supporters as well to those who are artists and give feedback for a more interactive environment.
They have events every other Thursday in Sykes Student Union, open to anyone interested. Previous events this semester that have been a success were Paint Me Black, Free Flow, and Love Lust and Lyrics. “We try to tame it to something that’s relevant,” stated co-president Derrick Ford. They pride their event themes to spark people’s creativeness. This loosely structured organization is a creative outlet for those who want to be heard and inspire others, and also serves as a platform for performers to get better at their desired craft that they are passionate about. As for those who would like to simply stop by to listen to the entire creative buzz, Poesis welcomes that too! “We want more people to come out and give us feedback,” Pichardo stated.
Poesis has biweekly meetings on Thursdays in Sykes 115 at 5:30 p.m. They tend to show videos that correlate to topics of the week and they try to collaborate with different organizations like Calypso, NABA, Sister’s United, and Laso. Much like the theatrics of improv, “we work on the fly” to keep meetings lively and stimulating for all creative minds. If you are interested in joining Poesis or want to come out to experience amazing talent, you can follow their Instagram page @WCUPOESIS, which you will easily find all the board members involved. You can also contact Ivan Pichardo at IP772082@wcupa.edu or Derrick Ford at DF838917@wcupa.edu for more details.
Thierra Walker is a second-year student majoring in communications with a minor in creative writing. She can be reached at TW804496@wcupa.edu.