Better Together: Black Collegians’ Open Mic Displays SMC’s Unshakeable Literary Community and Black Excellence

( L to R )Kayla Standifer, ICC chair, and Sasha Shelton, commissioner, to the secretary, stand outside of the Black Collegians "Better Together open mic session on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. (Corsair Photo | Lisa Whitmore)

Kayla Standifer reads her poetry at the Black Collegians “Better Together open mic session on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Santa Monica College.in Santa Monica, Calif. (Corsair Photo| Lisa Whitmore)

DJ Watson reads poetry from “An Open Mouth” by W. Yusef Doucet, at the Black Collegians "Better Together open mic session on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Santa Monica College.in Santa Monica, Calif. (Corsair Photo | Lisa Whitmore)

DJ Watson reads poetry from “An Open Mouth” by W. Yusef Doucet, the Black Collegians’ "Better Together open mic session on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. (Corsair Photo | Lisa Whitmore)

Poetry reading at at the Black Collegians "Better Together open mic session on Tuesday February 25, 2025 at Santa Moinca College.in Santa Moinca Calif. (Corsair Photo: Lisa Whitmore)

An open mic session kicked off a week of Black history celebrations hosted by the Santa Monica College (SMC) Black Collegians Program. Students and professors entered the space on Tuesday,  Feb. 25, with the intention to listen and be heard. 

The open mic’s theme, Better Together, reflected the crowded classroom, similar to a family atmosphere where all are supported. Poets received unwavering hype from their peers with applause and  snapping.

Students signed up in advance to recite their poems, while some had the chance to speak on the spot. Topics were versatile, ranging from childhood memories to current distress within the United States.  

A few professors shared too, including professor Wilfred Doucet, who shared excerpts from his published poetry collection, “An Open Mouth.” 

A brief history on hip-hop dance was presented by Xeandric Ross during intermission. Ross performed his own moves, highlighting the talented spectrum of Black artists at SMC. Said best in the closing poem by Xenia Martin, “Black is excellence. A force untamed. A legacy built, a future named.”