(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – Students shared personal stories of what it’s like to be in the 21^st century at the second annual Story Slam Tuesday in the Elliott Student Union.
Melody Niesen, an instructor in the English and philosophy department, helped plan the Story Slam. She said story slams typically consist of stories that are one to three minutes long and are centered around a theme.
“It’s really similar to a poetry slam…but instead of sharing poetry, we share short stories,” Niesen said.  “I think it’s pretty open to your interpretation of what you think a short story is.”
She said she thought the Story Slam was a great chance for students to share their stories and have their voices be heard.
“I think it’s really important for everyone on campus, particularly students, to realize that they have importance and that their stories and their voices matter,” Niesen said. “And this is a really great way to showcase people’s talents and let some of those stories be told that might otherwise be hidden.”
Niesen said the theme, “What it is TO BE… in the 21^st Century,” was based on the One Campus One Book common reading program of the 2017-2018 UCM school year. She said the book this year is “Children of the New World” by Alexander Weinstein, which features a dystopic future that relies on technology.
“We wanted people to think (of) what specifically makes them, them, and how is that unique or how is that connected to living in the 21st century,” Niesen said.
UCM junior Cayla Thurman shared her poem titled, “You Up Text,” at the slam. In the poem, Thurman discusses freedom in America today by presenting the idea of freedom as a man she desires.
“Freedom let me be / I wait all day to receive that ‘you up’ text / knowing exactly what falls next  and no ladies I’m not talking about sex,” Thurman said in her poem.  “I’m talking about the obligation that he gave / that somehow he’s neglected to give me / the demands that he can’t see / He hides behind the demise of my ancestors / cries knowing truthfully where his loyalty already lies / and I am kept in silent protest while he refuses to address / that the melanin in my skin may have too many preexisting conditions that just bother him.”
Thurman ended the poem by explaining herself.
“You might be wondering, ‘Girl, why haven’t you left?’ / And it’s simple, his name is Freedom and I don’t want to live in a world where I can’t be with him,” Thurman said in her poem. “And someday my success will be bigger than this oppression can oppress, and as I said earlier, being with him is an exhale out of this reality into a world that was not built for me, but you bess believe / that this world will be meant for me – with or without his intent for me.”
Thurman said she wanted to write a story about being an African American woman in America, but had a mental conflict while writing the poem.
“I also wanted to do spoken word about how it’s really hard to find an equivalent male partner in African American males due to oppression and all that other types of stuff, so I was like, ‘How can I make those two join?’” Thurman said.
Thurman said she was able to combine the two ideas by talking about freedom as a man that a girl is in love with.
“I wanted the audience to understand and get the feeling of passion of being in love with somebody or wanting somebody that’s not really yours,” Thurman said.
She said her biggest fear was that people wouldn’t understand the comparison and also might be offended by it. She said she didn’t want to disrespect the opportunities she’s been given because she thinks there are freedoms in America.
“But at the same time, it’s like everything that I have – every freedom that I was given as a woman and for being black is not really mine,” Thurman said. “I think in the poem I said something like, ‘I’m kept in a silent protest,’ which is the truth. So, it’s like, yes, I’m proud of everything that I have, but I’m not happy of how it was given to me or that it even had to be given to me.”
Thurman said she had been waiting to get the courage to get on a stage and say spoken-word poetry and the Story Slam was the perfect platform for it.
“It was very awesome,” Thurman said. “I think the environment was beautiful, and I’m happy that they have outlets like that for people to just tell their stories.”
Freshman Kimberly Wagner told a story of a time she realized she wasn’t connected to her friends anymore.
“December 24, 2016. I’m sitting in the waiting room of a hospital in Lees Summit, Missouri. Waiting to see my mom. She was in the hospital because she was weak from her battle with cancer,” Wagner said at the Story Slam. “I’m sitting there in the waiting room, staring at the Christmas tree in the window, and one thing is running through my mind: Who can I call? I realized then that I didn’t have a friend to call because I wasn’t close to any of my friends anymore.”
Wagner told the crowd that social media has allowed people to connect with others from all around the world, but it has also made people less connected.
“It allows us to just see the good parts of people’s lives, not always their true selves. We see what they want us to see,” Wagner said. “I now have close friends who I know I can call when things go wrong, and things have gotten better, but I challenge you to connect deeper with your friends so you always have someone to call.”
Wagner said she participated in the Story Slam because she wanted people to know her story and understand where she was coming from.
“At the very beginning it was difficult for me to talk about because I haven’t really talked about it in front of a bunch of strangers before,” Wagner said. “I couldn’t look at anybody because I was so nervous. I was looking at my paper the whole time, but I got through it. I’m happy I did it though.”
Niesen said she thinks the Story Slam is a great community event that leaves people feeling uplifted and that it’s cool to see students share their voices and life experiences.
“Helping students ­­– helping everyone – recognize that no matter who you are, everyone has a story that’s worth telling and everyone has a story worth listening to,” Niesen said.