Meet Poet/Spoken Word Artist Crystal “Kirei” Turner

Photo by Emajhn Johnson of 770 Photography

Creating Black History thru Art, Activism, and Entrepreneurship

In 2018, I am continuing to make Black History through art and activism. Bringing awareness to the issues that Black women face, creating and maintaining spaces where we are able to speak freely and openly, about our truth.

Making history is about leaving an impact, and leaving an impression larger than yourself. Providing Black women with places to regain and share their voices is absolutely necessary, and is not something I do for myself. I want Black women to always have these spaces. The creation of my open mic series, “These Words Live,” is a way for me to build and cultivate such a space.

Black women especially need safe areas to share our experiences with anxiety, depression, mental and physical health, sexuality, racism, sexism, and have those truths be validated.

I want to continue to make Black History through art, activism and entrepreneurship. I not only provide Black women with physical platforms to share their stories, but literary platforms as well. Our ancestors shared history with us through written and spoken word. Sharing our stories is how we survived and how we continue to survive daily.

I plan to continue making Black history by reminding Black women every day that we matter, we are necessary, and that our very existence is revolutionary.