The lobby of Santa Susana Hall shook as it was engulfed in the sound of hip hop, poetry and the words of students Thursday night. It was the first open mic event of the fall 2014 semester held by Vocal Artillery, a nonprofit organization.
Some students recited poetry, others sang and played their instruments of choice.
Jamar Morris, senior English major, host and lead organizer of the event said they were interested in “looking for people that are like-minded, who are concerned with giving marginalized people voices.”
Vocal Artillery’s open mic nights are made possible by different groups of CSUN clubs, organizations and individual members coming together collectively.
They have been doing on campus promotions with flyers as well as using social media. Morris considered the open mic night, an underground event. “You try to stay true to working through the people, you’re not trying to serve a institution,” he said.
Edith Manuel, junior applied mathematics major attended most of the past events and decided to speak in front of an audience for the first time. Manuel said she took the mic to get over her stage fright. The topic she covered was about struggles minorities faced. “Its not about race anymore, rather its about the rich and the poor.
Money talks. Lets educate our children’s children. Its only a matter of time before we take over,” she said. Every 30 minutes, there were breaks where all in attendance had the opportunity to socialize and partake in refreshments.
At the end of the night, there was a feature performance by CSUN alumnus Marvin Jordan and a local band. Vocal Artillery hosts open mic nights the second Thursday of every month in Santa Susana Hall.
