The Butler-Mitchell "http://www.bgcbuffalo.org/" Boys and Girls Club of Massachusetts Avenue and "http://pushbuffalo.org/default.htm" People United for Sustainable Housing teamed up for Open Mic night for youths under age 18 as an outlet for spoken word, poetry and singing at Butler-Mitchell Boys and Girls Club on Massachusetts Avenue at 7 p.m.. on April 23.
Aminah Johnson set up the event and Harrison Watkins hosted the event. Both work with PUSH through community outreach.
Although PUSH’s main goals are to create sustainable housing the the West Side, they believe that quality of life is not just achieved through housing, but through teaching the youth and giving them other positive options after school.
Watkins tried his best to get the youths to participate, even reciting a poem by Saul Williams, a slam poet from New York City, and singing ‘Lean on Me.’
For their first Open Mic night, the turn out reached about 10 teenagers, many who participated. Diversity was apparent at this event, with attendance by youths who are Black, Hispanic and Arab. One youth even sang a song in Spanish.
Ismail Johnson and Tom Cassanes, who are local musicians, set up musical equipment for the event and played the keyboard, congas, bass and guitar to accompany the youth singing.
Events like Open Mic are held to give children the opportunity to better themselves and a way for the community to relate to them through music and expression, as well as teach and broaden horizons, Aminah Johnson said.
“Music is a vehicle” and sometimes that vehicle needs a push, Aminah Johnson said.
Ismail Johnson hopes that Open Mic for students will be a catalyst for other events the youths can get involved in, encouraging them to get involved and surround themselves with positive people.
Community organizations wants there to be more to do than Myspace and sports; there should be some mental stimulation for these youths outside of school also, Aminah Johnson said.
Aminah Johnson said there is a fine line between hip hop and poetry, and we want them to express themselves through a familiar, yet more positive venue.
“I think we prefer this event, because we do this all the time at home, so coming here and singing is fun,” said cousins Kyia and Shauntia James, both 14.
Kyia and Shauntia James sang Chris Brown ‘Your man ain’t me’, in unison. They were encouraged by all the other students to participate. The other youths had gotten up to sing songs from the children’s television show Spongebob Squarepants, the songs Lean on Me and Sweet Home Alabama.
Refreshments were served and after the youths devoured the Hawaiian Punch and chips, they gained more confidence to continue singing and tell jokes.
PUSH and the Boys and Girls Club plan on setting up an open mic event at least once a month, in hopes that more people will know about it and participate.
Both organizations hope to encourage tolerance and expression, and create an outlet where perfection of the craft is not necessary.
Aminah Johnson hopes that college students will also support or participate because “they are closer in age than many PUSH members and staff at the Boys and Girls Club,” so their influence and encouragement is necessary.
PUSH is building respect within the West Side and many people identify with their goals, Aminah Johnson said. PUSH hopes this will bring more people to their community events and unite every culture on the West Side to start working toward a better quality of life, starting with the youth.
The next Open Mic will be held at Butler-Mitchell Boys and Girls Club on Massachusetts Avenue on May 18 at 7 P.M.