AbOUT US
How it all started...
Chaos, confusion, hurt, pain....a community grieving for its lost youth.
A young woman found herself thrust into a spotlight.
Community organizer and Activist Dacia Polk remembers vividly the series of events that lead her to becoming the Curator & Executive Producer of one of the most creative and diverse open mic nights in the city.
Reeling from the death of Mike Brown Jr, many found themselves with so many emotions, feelings and questions with no where that felt safe to express.
It was through hosting pop up community forums that Dacia began to realize that there was something missing. Boots on the ground, she was one of the first responders on the scene. Witnessing the grief of these parents who just lost a child, the surrounding community forced to watch this young mans body lay in the street for hours, an incredible trauma.
At the time, St. Louis was sporting one of the nations highest murder rates, including police related homicides. A city on edge and on the verge, it was the perfect opportunity to merge and form a solution that would change things for the better.
While holding meetings at a local Café in the Delmar loop, she was offered an opportunity to host a night a month. The first gathering was such a huge turn out, that it became a weekly event. Just as quickly as things began to develop, challenges arose, from venues, to equipment, to learning the in's and out's of arts and entertainment industry. None of that stopped her from striving to create a place to help cultivate expression through art.
Now celebrating 9 years of supporting Art in STL, she has watched the creative arts community explode in a new renaissance of creativity across all genres!
Highlighting poetry, live music, and comedy in particular, Tuesday night open mic is really a watering whole that draws in all people who seek to gather all in the love of art itself.
@innergyinme
WORDUP! MISSION STATEMENT
WORDUP! is a multimedia arts and entertainment platform that connects creatives of all backgrounds.
Using art as a medium and catalyst for building community.
LOUIS CONPHLICTION
HOST/POET/SINGER/SONGWRITER
Louis ConPhliction is one of the most talented and influential performing Artists in the Midwest. Tapping into gifts he discovered his love for Arts and found his voice while speaking in a competition in the 4thgrade. Enjoying the challenge of memorizing poetry and monologues, he made is debut at a church summer youth festival and hasn’t stopped since. Professionally, he’s been developing his craft for the past 12 years. Finding inspiration in everyone and everything, he believes his Art is so easy to connect with because its reflective, relatable and honest, just like his world view. As an all-around lover of all things art, he sings, raps, performs, and hosts as his creative outlet.
This multi-talented singer/song writer, poet and emcee continues to make major waves across the states. Melodic flows, turned poetic prose, with beats bouncing in between, when he graces a stage and rocks a mic he leaves audiences enthralled with his expression.
With his many talents keeping him in the public eye, he’s found himself headlining at the Nuyo and in LA alongside Musiq Soulchild, featured on major entertainment network All Def Digital, on tour with nationally acclaimed BusBoys and Poets and for the last 4 years helped host WORDUP! Open Mic one of the best places in STL for live arts and entertainment. He sees every show as a big opportunity to share his craft but his most memorable was being able to speak at his Grandparent’s funerals.
With unreleased music stockpiled and notebooks full of new poetry, he looks forward to continuing to create spaces for artists to exist freely while living off their art.
@loucon3
breathe with bri
POET/ AUTHOR/MINDFULNESS COACH
Breathe is a breath of fresh air, bringing her profound perspective to the poetic scene.
New found Author of the highly acclaimed collection of affirmations titled "F**k Toxic Positivity," she encourages balance when it comes to healing, self care, and creating mindful moments to appreciate the smaller things in life.
Dropping gems of wisdom whenever she graces the stage, Breathe breezes bold lines of bright brilliant brassiness. Her poetry depicts her life, struggles, family and quest for happiness. She seems shy and calm but underneath her beauty is a force of fierce femininity and focus.
With a booming wellness company on the rise, she formulates special smoke blends and hosts an online mindful movement class powered by EncoreSTL.
@breathewithbri
klevah!
DJ/PRODUCER/CREATIVE
He may be the new addition to the vibes at WORDUP! Open mic but this award winning producer has so many skills in his wheel house, you may just have to ask him what Klevah! really does! (might be a bit of everything!)
Meet
ENCORESTL
EncoreSTL is a digital media and live production company based out of South Saint Louis, Missouri. Their mission is to create high-quality productions while still making the arts accessible to everyone who wants to experience it.
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