Word of Mouth Teen Experience draws diverse crowd
The Word of Mouth Teen Experience will be held on the third Saturday of every month at Arts for Arts Sake headquarters, 630 N. Liberty Street.
Arts For Arts Sake was the place to be last Saturday night as more than 50 people from all walks of life came together to witness the creativity, artistic prowess, and courage of several teens during the first-ever Word of Mouth Teen Experience (WOMTE).
The brainchild of well-known spoken word artist and activist Larry “LB The Poet” Barron, WOMTE is a spinoff of Word of Mouth Wednesday, a monthly showcase of local spoken word artists and performers. A 2008 graduate of Carver High School, Barron said after connecting with students at Main Street Academy and Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy, he felt the need to create a space where teens can express themselves.
“We wanted to create a safe space for them to express themselves. It’s just something different,” said Barron. “Everybody doesn’t want to party and we don’t need to put that energy into our youth. We need to encourage them to be something different.”
Along with the spoken word showcase, WOMTE also featured a vendor fair of local teen entrepreneurs. When discussing the event Barron’s co-host, and first time performer Zoe Anderson said although she has been writing for as long as she can remember, WOMTE is the only platform in the area where she can openly express herself.
“We’re embracing creativity, we’re embracing self-expression and we’re embracing a safe place for people to be.”
While the night may have belonged to the teens performing and marketing their businesses, the best part about WOMTE is the diverse group of people it brought together; younger children, parents, grandparents, and even teachers.
Tia Buster who is a teacher at Parkland High School said she came to support a former student who was performing. She said there was no way she was going to miss it. Buster also praised Barron for his commitment to uplift local teens.
“LB is doing some serious things for our youth and as a high school teacher that means everything to me,” she said. “Most teenagers don’t have a productive outlet to share their emotions and their feelings. Whereas some people can pay a therapist, this can be their therapy.”
The Word of Mouth Teen Experience will be held on the third Saturday of every month at Arts for Arts Sake headquarters, 630 N. Liberty Street. For more information, contact Larry Barron or Word of Mouth Wednesday on Facebook.
