SPIN El Poeta: The Vision of Revolution Using One Mic to Build Cultural Friendships

September 27, 2023

968

The showcase of the emerging new profile mixing Latin roots with indigenity through artistic expression

Written by: Maria Alejandra Guardado

Who is SPIN El Poeta?

SPIN El Poeta is a man of many hats and talents from being an arts educator, advocate, and poet he sets a precedent for being a prodigy of the oppressed. SPIN is from Guatemala, the land of the feathered serpent bird and identifies as mestizo, however, he does not take up space as indigenous because he has not done the work to trace his roots A cancer survivor, a refugee, and a child of a single mother, SPIN overcame all odds and is committed to underprivileged communities, at-risk youth, and building Immigrant-Indigenous friendship. SPIN founder of the One Mic Educators, and a two-time grand slam champion, was named one the top ten slam poets in Toronto by the Culture Trip and was honoured with the Arts For Human Rights Award (2021) by the Jayu Film Festival, but is committed to his love for community.

“SPIN’s Words are fueled with knowledge, honesty, and vision for revolution”

The Culture Trip

The Poetry that Started It All

SPIN began his poetry journey through his experiences as a refugee forced to leave Guatemala because of the genocide inflicted on the Maya people. His mother and her best friend were funded to create a cooperative in a Mayan community where the men had been murdered by the military. Shortly, after receiving the funding his mother’s best friend disappeared from the military, and SPIN along with his mother had to leave the country. Thus, began his emotional self-relief journey to help channel his anger and suffering to the injustices he and his family had faced. As a young man, SPIN found his love for poetry as the outlet to transform pain into power to blend culture and hip-hop.

SPIN got his break into the poetry scene with the Dub Poets Collective through his friends Lillian Allean and Aufa Cooper and together created RHYME (Revolutionaries Honouring Your Mind’s Eye). Through this group, SPIN got to witness talented youth performances that are rooted in community and use freedom as a vehicle of change to unite segregated groups. Thus, led to the development of one man with a mission and one mic.

One Man, One Mic, One Mission

As the man behind One Mic Educators, which is a multidisciplinary educational enterprise and cofounder of the collective with Gloria O’koye, they are dedicated to facilitating the arts through the execution of hundreds of poetic workshops and fundraising funds for grassroots initiatives for underprivileged communities. The trajectory of the group has helped shape the federal government’s Anti-Racism Strategy in Canada. One Mic Educators was created to develop culturally relevant responses using Hip Hop as a critical thought to build Immigrant- Indigenous friendship, dismantle rape culture, and combat white supremacy as core principles.

Initially, SPIN created the One Mic Educators enterprise with his friend Tuggstar because of his passion for working with youth at risk and helping them discover the way in which to channel their struggles. The opportunity to formally and consistently engage students and teach young people artistic freedom started in 2016 at the TDSB Contact Alternative School which led to the establishment of La Raza which is an arts festival to showcase local talent in different artistic expressions.

What’s Next for One Mic Educators?

I asked SPIN what are some of his goals for One Mic Educators, he stated “ to establish an international presence for our artists and youth to continue to support one another”. The main focus for upcoming projects is building an institutionalized mainframe to build a space for indigenous and immigrant friendships. To then create a new dichotomy of channelled poetry between streams of experience based on friendship. According to SPIN “frienship is being there in shame and in laughter by building memories” and in that circle of friends it is important “to make sure indigenous people are present”. One Mic Educators is a continued growing movement that seeks to connect expression through artist culture and love above all.

Culture, Connectivity & Indigeneity

SPIN takes the approach of inclusivity especially when it comes to culture because he proclaims that, “Culture is everything–its life, without culture you’re nothing.” SPIN affirms that as settlers on this land, we owe deep gratitude to the original caretakers of the lands that we are on and we have a responsibility to know the land and examine our surroundings. SPIN states that “indigenous people are all around us–you just have to be willing to see them”. The programming of connecting indigeneity and immigrants is one of a kind and speaks volumes to the breaking of stigmas of cultural divisions and builds a space for inclusionary friendships without limits. This cultural pedagogy should be recognized as a norm as people who are settlers in Canada but are indigenous to other lands share a common space on the land. SPIN El Poeta being from Ixim Ulew (Guatemala) feels a strong connection with indigenous people and promotes educational means of the culture because colonization impacts all people and he is a direct ally for Indigenous peoples.

I asked SPIN what would unite people of colour/Latinos to work alongside Indigenous groups and he shared that there would have to be “a willingness to unite with effort and respect on our part”. This can only be achieved through educational efforts and creating a space to bring people together to learn more but as SPIN mentioned it comes from willingness. A willingness to open your heart and mind to partake in an knowledge and friendship exchange to deepen ones perception past the dominant narrative.

Final Commentary:

SPIN El Poeta is establishing a new wave of connectivity on a local, national and soon-to-be international scale. The cultural relevance in merging and bridging across cultures is unlike others in Canada. The man with the vision to revolutionize cultural means in Canada with complete understanding and compassion for immigrants, underprivileged groups, youth, and Indigenous peoples will set a growing precedent for societal development. Be a part of the movement and get involved!