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So Ike, welcome back. How was Italy/Europe?
Thanks. It was life changing. It was my first time out of the United States and you quickly learn that you’re not home anymore. We took the wrong train and got off in North France and a gentleman told us, “Once it gets dark, you should probably leave.” We took his advice! The other thing that I noticed was the fact that it was almost 10pm and the sun was still shining. But I’d have to say, one of the best things about visiting overseas was seeing the way in which family tradition is still honored and practiced. From Italy to Spain, I witnessed families getting together for meals whether it was in the alley ways or at restaurants. Also, the churches were absolutely stunning. It was the only trip I have ever taken where you could literally go from modern to medieval in a matter of 5 steps.
Where exactly did you get to visit?
I visited France, Salerno, Pompeii, Rome, Barcelona, and Calella.
Give us the scoop on the convention.
The convention was amazing. At the 100 Thousand Poets for Change (100 TPC) conference, there were five main round table discussions such as Poetics of the Feminine, which consisted of a panel of women discussing issues ranging from infanticide to rape culture. The next was art and activism, where artists from other countries explained how they use their art to bring issues pertaining to their countries circumstances to light. The oral tradition panel discussed classic and contemporary ways of expression. We also talked about building sustainable communities through strong networks as well as how to grow the 100tpc movement which encompasses every continent around the world. We're having our global event on the 26 of September. This event will take place all over the world on the 26th check out http://100tpc.org. We also discussed fundraising for artists to pay Visa fees. Several artists were denied Visas due to conflict and one of my brothers from Uganda said a few of the African poets could not come because they grant Visas based on income.