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EKFreePeoplesBe Submission Process

EKFreePeoplesBe is a dedication to Black Arts Movement poet Etheridge Knight (1931-1991). Knight devoted his life and work to forming community in and around the Word, in making up poems and reading them among the people. His poems were both vulnerable and forceful at once, capturing what he called the universality of feelings. He believed that while there was no singular experience all people go through, we all share and can relate to the emotional centers of art, and by speaking through our feelings. Knight found and made community around the sharing and relation of feelings through his work’s emotional heart. Along with his self-reflective (“The Idea of Ancestry”) and self-addressed poems (“A Poem for Myself”), he wrote from his interactions and often revised his poems after speaking them at readings. 

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In the spirit of community, vulnerability, and inclusivity, we invite you to join EKFreePeoplesBe. Together, we will create an archive of video readings, audio recordings, and images of creative pieces and the people who created them. Let us build a community of speaking the universality of feelings.
 

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Submission Guidelines: 


General:

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  • From the heart, craft and read a poem or short story. Use this Google Form to submit.

  • Be vulnerable and open—as much as you are comfortable. Don’t worry about creating the perfect work; just write and speak with feeling.

  • You choose the subject, but please use inclusive language; some profanity is allowed.

  • Send us a written copy of your submission using the upload function or text box on this form (1 page maximum) for approval.

  • If you would like to be tagged on social media, please send us the name of your Instagram or Facebook page. We can also link your website to our LinkTree.

  • Please revise your work before submission. Read it aloud to yourself of someone else and make your piece as clear and emotive as you can.

  • Have fun! If you submit a video or audio recording, imagine you are participating in a public reading—because you are!

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Submission Options:

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  • Option 1: Video reading of your submission (Preferred) 

    • Record for at least 1-2 minutes.

    • Choose a well-lit, quiet place to record where your face and/or body is visible. Make sure your camera will not shake or jump.   

    • Be creative with your background! Record in a location that reflects your interests and personality.

  • Option 2: Voiceover with images

    • Submit a voiceover and 3 pictures: 

      • 2 images of yourself

      • 1 image of your submission in writing

      • Record yourself reading your submission for at least 1-2 mins.

      • Find a quiet place to record. Speak clearly and with passion and inflection. 

  • Option 3: Images and text only

    • Submit 3 pictures: 

      • 2 images of yourself

      • 1 image of your submission in writing

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***Once you submit your piece, our team will review it and make sure it follows the guidelines. You will receive an email from our team before we post your work! 

 

If you have any questions about the project, or any have issues submitting your work, please email us at citzenship@butler.edu with your name and the title of your poem or short story.
 

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