Hannah Sawyerr is a nineteen year old Sierra Leonean-American poet, and the first woman Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore. Though the Youth Poet Laureate position is still fairly young--Sawyerr is the second YPL this city has seen, taking over from Derick Ebert, who held the position last year--the selection process is a competitive one, with students from all over the city sharing their work (this year, the final slam happened in City Hall) in the hopes of getting the chance to be this city's youth ambassador. As Youth Poet Laureate, Sawyerr is responsible for representing youth in Baltimore's art and activists scenes, and effecting change (both locally and nationally) through poetry. Sawyerr is currently attending Morgan State University where she is studying to earn a degree in English. Since winning the position of Youth Poet Laureate, she has toured locally and nationally, and is working on her first book of poems.
1. When did you start writing?
I’ve kept journals since I was really young, but I started writing spoken word poetry in the 8th grade after a poetry unit in my English class. I was about 13.
2. We’d love to let readers of the blog know a bit more about your journey to becoming Baltimore’s Youth Poet Laureate of 2016. Dew More, an organization founded in 2012 by Kenneth Morrison, is the foundation that sponsors the competition for the position (alongside many other projects aimed at fostering community and integrating art and activism.) When did you discover Dew More, and how?
I discovered Dew More after moving to Baltimore my freshman year of college. A friend of mine, Joy Barnes, heard about an open call for auditions to be on the Baltimore Youth Slam Team through a flyer posted online. The following week we auditioned and both made the team.
3. What do you think is the value of performance poetry as opposed to page poetry? Do you think the two have to function separately?
I think there is beauty in both performance and page poetry and they certainly do not have to function separately. However, I believe for me personally, healing happens on the page before it ever occurs the stage. I suppose spoken word is a type of ministry. Every piece an artist chooses to share is a testimony in my eyes.
4. Can you describe your experiences with poetry competitions? What is your favorite part about competing? Is there anything you don’t like about it?
My first national poetry competition was the NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO). I competed in the category of poetry my senior year of high school and received first in the state level and went on the receive third on the National level. I was really proud of myself because I remember thinking that I wasn’t even going to place on the state level, let alone place first and advance to the nationals.
I also competed in Brave New Voices with the Baltimore City Youth Poetry Team last year in Atlanta. I remember watching video clips when I was younger of poets competing and remember thinking how much I wanted to be a part of something so truthful. To be able to compete with my team was absolutely incredible. The most recent poetry competition I competed in was for the Youth Poet Laureate position. I remember in high school I first heard about the Youth Poet Laureate program when I learned that Zora Howard, a poet that admire, was the first Youth Poet Laureate of New York City. I remember talking to one of my mentors about how I would like to be one but there were no Youth Poet Laureate programs established in my area, so after moving to Baltimore and learning about the Youth Poet Laureate I was really excited! I participated, and placed top twelve my first year of competing but my good friend and poetry brother Derick Ebert won. However, I placed this year and was fortunate to not only place top twelve but also won the competition.
My favorite part about competing would definitely be the vulnerability that comes with hearing and sharing stories. One of my favorite poets, Maya Angelou wrote “we are more alike than unlike”. I believe the truth in this quote is displayed in slam poetry.
My least favorite part about slam poetry is actually a bit related to my favorite part of the art, self-doubt. I believe allowing yourself to be vulnerable can also allow space for self-doubt. I believe this is why it is so important for safe spaces to be created and respected in the art of slam poetry.
5. What do you see as the connection between self-expression and social justice in poetry (aside from advocating for the self)?
I believe there is a direct correlation between the causes that artists and activists fight for and their personal identity. I am a black woman. I wear the color of my skin every day. I am also a survivor of sexual abuse. All of this is a part of what makes me the woman that I am. I fight for people, specifically women like myself, because I get it. I understand the feeling of believing that no one will ever understand, the confusion, the fear. Most importantly, I understand the importance of fighting for myself. The passion that I have for advocating for survivors of abuse started from me having to advocate for myself; so I will continue to do what I feel is necessary to support women like myself.
6. How do you defy the image of the brooding poet or angry black woman and still self-advocate?
I don’t really believe it’s my responsibility to defy that image. I do believe that it is unfortunate that I have to wear the weight of feeling as if I have defy that image because I am a black woman but I’ve known people that thought I was too angry and I’ve known people that thought I was too docile. As long as I’m fighting what I love and am passionate, I do not care what I am labeled, as long as I’m heard.
7. Do you have anything specific you want to accomplish as Youth Poet Laureate, any programs or events you want to organize?
I would love to create a space for female voices to share their experiences as young women. I think it’s important for us to create these spaces because there aren’t many of them. I have a few other ideas as well, but my main focus is definitely supporting and uplifting young girls and women of color. One of my obligations as Youth Poet Laureate is publishing a book at the end of my term. My whole entire book is dedicated to young women like myself. I am working to make this the most personal project I’ve ever done because I believe in its importance.
8. What do you feel is the difference between working with a team of spoken word poets, as you do with the Baltimore Citywide Youth Poetry Team, versus performing by yourself? Do you prefer one over the other?
I believe once you’re on a strong team, they never necessarily stop being your team. Even when I perform by myself of when I am writing a piece and need advice I still have family that I met through being on BCYPT that I can call for support.
9. I know you’re interested in becoming an English teacher once you graduate from college. Given your interest in education, I was wondering how you’ve found your experience as an English major at Morgan State? That is, do you feel represented on your various syllabi and in the faculty, or does the university (as most do) privilege an androcentric and anglocentric perspective?
I definitely feel represented in my syllabi. I went to high school that was extremely diverse in its student body but the curriculum and almost the entire staff was white. For the first time, I feel that I am appropriately represented in the curriculum that I am taught at my university.
10. Could you speak a little about why you feel poetry is a good way to access and empower young people specifically?
I think poetry is a good way to access and empower young people not only because it’s inexpensive, but because it can be as private or as public as you want it to be. A poet’s healing can come solely from writing on the page, or they can find healing in sharing their experiences. With poetry, an artist can find healing in either or.
11. How do you see your position as YPL empowering other young artists? With your tour, you’ve had the opportunity to meet a bunch of young poets in Baltimore and beyond; what has that experience been like for you?
It’s incredible. I featured at a youth poetry festival, Louder Than A Bomb a few weeks ago and to watch so many young high school and middle school poets share their truth so honestly on stage was absolutely amazing. It reminded me of why I fell in love with poetry to begin with.
12. You frequently discuss the importance of self-love in interviews and in your work, and about the process of unlearning the self-hatred women, and particularly black women, are encouraged to have. What do you wish you could have heard when you were younger to help you on your path to self-love?
A lot of things. I needed to hear that although I struggled with self-love and my own self-esteem that other people’s negativity can and will not have an effect on the way I love myself. Self-love is something that a lot of young women have to relearn, and it’s difficult when people are filled with so much hatred. I wish I knew to love myself because I deem myself lovable, and that when someone else doesn’t show me that same love that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t.
I think another thing that a lot of young women, like myself need to hear is that virginity and purity are not one in the same. Virginity in itself is completely objective. Being in high school, learning about the textbook definition of virginity was extremely difficult to grasp. It makes it seem as if girls who were sexually assaulted, or girls who simply enjoy engaging in sexual activity were not pure because of this. I do not believe this is true. I think high school sex-ed classes definitely have to be reevaluated and taught differently.
13. Are you reading or listening to any other young poets? Who are your favorites right now? We’d love to get them more exposure by featuring them here on the Poetry & Power blog.
Most certainly. Some of my favorites are Crystal Valentine, Alysia Harris, Ramya Ramana & Safia Elhillo. Mohamed Tall, Mecca Verdell, and Derick Ebert are all good friends of mine as well as my favorite youth poets in Baltimore.
14. Looking to the future, do you want to continue working with poetry after you’ve graduated from Morgan State?
Definitely. I am a writer and will write for the rest of my life.
1. When did you start writing?
I’ve kept journals since I was really young, but I started writing spoken word poetry in the 8th grade after a poetry unit in my English class. I was about 13.
2. We’d love to let readers of the blog know a bit more about your journey to becoming Baltimore’s Youth Poet Laureate of 2016. Dew More, an organization founded in 2012 by Kenneth Morrison, is the foundation that sponsors the competition for the position (alongside many other projects aimed at fostering community and integrating art and activism.) When did you discover Dew More, and how?
I discovered Dew More after moving to Baltimore my freshman year of college. A friend of mine, Joy Barnes, heard about an open call for auditions to be on the Baltimore Youth Slam Team through a flyer posted online. The following week we auditioned and both made the team.
3. What do you think is the value of performance poetry as opposed to page poetry? Do you think the two have to function separately?
I think there is beauty in both performance and page poetry and they certainly do not have to function separately. However, I believe for me personally, healing happens on the page before it ever occurs the stage. I suppose spoken word is a type of ministry. Every piece an artist chooses to share is a testimony in my eyes.
4. Can you describe your experiences with poetry competitions? What is your favorite part about competing? Is there anything you don’t like about it?
My first national poetry competition was the NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO). I competed in the category of poetry my senior year of high school and received first in the state level and went on the receive third on the National level. I was really proud of myself because I remember thinking that I wasn’t even going to place on the state level, let alone place first and advance to the nationals.
I also competed in Brave New Voices with the Baltimore City Youth Poetry Team last year in Atlanta. I remember watching video clips when I was younger of poets competing and remember thinking how much I wanted to be a part of something so truthful. To be able to compete with my team was absolutely incredible. The most recent poetry competition I competed in was for the Youth Poet Laureate position. I remember in high school I first heard about the Youth Poet Laureate program when I learned that Zora Howard, a poet that admire, was the first Youth Poet Laureate of New York City. I remember talking to one of my mentors about how I would like to be one but there were no Youth Poet Laureate programs established in my area, so after moving to Baltimore and learning about the Youth Poet Laureate I was really excited! I participated, and placed top twelve my first year of competing but my good friend and poetry brother Derick Ebert won. However, I placed this year and was fortunate to not only place top twelve but also won the competition.
My favorite part about competing would definitely be the vulnerability that comes with hearing and sharing stories. One of my favorite poets, Maya Angelou wrote “we are more alike than unlike”. I believe the truth in this quote is displayed in slam poetry.
My least favorite part about slam poetry is actually a bit related to my favorite part of the art, self-doubt. I believe allowing yourself to be vulnerable can also allow space for self-doubt. I believe this is why it is so important for safe spaces to be created and respected in the art of slam poetry.
5. What do you see as the connection between self-expression and social justice in poetry (aside from advocating for the self)?
I believe there is a direct correlation between the causes that artists and activists fight for and their personal identity. I am a black woman. I wear the color of my skin every day. I am also a survivor of sexual abuse. All of this is a part of what makes me the woman that I am. I fight for people, specifically women like myself, because I get it. I understand the feeling of believing that no one will ever understand, the confusion, the fear. Most importantly, I understand the importance of fighting for myself. The passion that I have for advocating for survivors of abuse started from me having to advocate for myself; so I will continue to do what I feel is necessary to support women like myself.
6. How do you defy the image of the brooding poet or angry black woman and still self-advocate?
I don’t really believe it’s my responsibility to defy that image. I do believe that it is unfortunate that I have to wear the weight of feeling as if I have defy that image because I am a black woman but I’ve known people that thought I was too angry and I’ve known people that thought I was too docile. As long as I’m fighting what I love and am passionate, I do not care what I am labeled, as long as I’m heard.
7. Do you have anything specific you want to accomplish as Youth Poet Laureate, any programs or events you want to organize?
I would love to create a space for female voices to share their experiences as young women. I think it’s important for us to create these spaces because there aren’t many of them. I have a few other ideas as well, but my main focus is definitely supporting and uplifting young girls and women of color. One of my obligations as Youth Poet Laureate is publishing a book at the end of my term. My whole entire book is dedicated to young women like myself. I am working to make this the most personal project I’ve ever done because I believe in its importance.
8. What do you feel is the difference between working with a team of spoken word poets, as you do with the Baltimore Citywide Youth Poetry Team, versus performing by yourself? Do you prefer one over the other?
I believe once you’re on a strong team, they never necessarily stop being your team. Even when I perform by myself of when I am writing a piece and need advice I still have family that I met through being on BCYPT that I can call for support.
9. I know you’re interested in becoming an English teacher once you graduate from college. Given your interest in education, I was wondering how you’ve found your experience as an English major at Morgan State? That is, do you feel represented on your various syllabi and in the faculty, or does the university (as most do) privilege an androcentric and anglocentric perspective?
I definitely feel represented in my syllabi. I went to high school that was extremely diverse in its student body but the curriculum and almost the entire staff was white. For the first time, I feel that I am appropriately represented in the curriculum that I am taught at my university.
10. Could you speak a little about why you feel poetry is a good way to access and empower young people specifically?
I think poetry is a good way to access and empower young people not only because it’s inexpensive, but because it can be as private or as public as you want it to be. A poet’s healing can come solely from writing on the page, or they can find healing in sharing their experiences. With poetry, an artist can find healing in either or.
11. How do you see your position as YPL empowering other young artists? With your tour, you’ve had the opportunity to meet a bunch of young poets in Baltimore and beyond; what has that experience been like for you?
It’s incredible. I featured at a youth poetry festival, Louder Than A Bomb a few weeks ago and to watch so many young high school and middle school poets share their truth so honestly on stage was absolutely amazing. It reminded me of why I fell in love with poetry to begin with.
12. You frequently discuss the importance of self-love in interviews and in your work, and about the process of unlearning the self-hatred women, and particularly black women, are encouraged to have. What do you wish you could have heard when you were younger to help you on your path to self-love?
A lot of things. I needed to hear that although I struggled with self-love and my own self-esteem that other people’s negativity can and will not have an effect on the way I love myself. Self-love is something that a lot of young women have to relearn, and it’s difficult when people are filled with so much hatred. I wish I knew to love myself because I deem myself lovable, and that when someone else doesn’t show me that same love that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t.
I think another thing that a lot of young women, like myself need to hear is that virginity and purity are not one in the same. Virginity in itself is completely objective. Being in high school, learning about the textbook definition of virginity was extremely difficult to grasp. It makes it seem as if girls who were sexually assaulted, or girls who simply enjoy engaging in sexual activity were not pure because of this. I do not believe this is true. I think high school sex-ed classes definitely have to be reevaluated and taught differently.
13. Are you reading or listening to any other young poets? Who are your favorites right now? We’d love to get them more exposure by featuring them here on the Poetry & Power blog.
Most certainly. Some of my favorites are Crystal Valentine, Alysia Harris, Ramya Ramana & Safia Elhillo. Mohamed Tall, Mecca Verdell, and Derick Ebert are all good friends of mine as well as my favorite youth poets in Baltimore.
14. Looking to the future, do you want to continue working with poetry after you’ve graduated from Morgan State?
Definitely. I am a writer and will write for the rest of my life.
This interview was conducted by Madison Archard, a rising senior at Johns Hopkins University, and Jaida Griffin, a rising freshman at Goucher College.
