The Jambalaya Soul Slam has been a staple program at the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham since 2005. Supported by the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, the Jambalaya Soul Slam brings together the best poets in the area to compete for a cash prize and a chance to make the Bull City Slam Team. The Bull City Slam Team represents the Jambalaya Soul Slam, the Hayti Heritage Center, Durham, and the Triangle in regional and national competition each summer. In addition, the Jambalaya Soul Slam brings some of the best poets from across the country to Durham as featured artists. The goal is to introduce those poets to our community, and to introduce to our community artists from other cities whose work might not otherwise be experienced. Outside of the monthly event, participants in the slam and members of the Bull City Slam Team also act as ambassadors for the Jambalaya Soul Slam and the Hayti by collaborating with various other groups and organizations on events and programs throughout the Triangle. The slam is open to both teens and adults, but poets have to be 18+ to be a member of the Bull City Slam Team.

-The Bull City Slam Team has made finals in regional competition four times. They finished second in 2009 and 2015 and won the regional championship in 2010 and 2014.

-The Bull City Slam Team has made semi-finals in national competition three times in 2007, 2010, and 2016. They made finals in national competition in 2010, finishing third in the country. The team also made group piece finals in 2012 and finished second.

-The Jambalaya Soul Slam and the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation hosted the Southern Fried Southeastern Regional Poetry Slam in Durham in 2009. Southern Fried, as it is affectionately known, is the largest regional poetry slam in the country.

The Jambalaya Soul Slam takes place the third Saturday of every month at 8pm in the Hayti Heritage Center Performance Hall. The event has been highlighted in the News & Observer, Herald Sun, and other media as one of the area’s most successful arts programs.

The Jambalaya Soul Slam is a registered and certified event with Poetry Slam Incorporated, the organization that coordinates the country’s adult national poetry slam events.

For more information:

Jambalaya Soul Slam: www.bullcitypoetryslam.com

Dasan Ahanu Founder/Coordinator/Coach – Jambalaya Soul Slam/Bull City Slam Team www.dasanahanu.com;