Every April, O, Miami weaves poetry into the fabric of Miami-Dade County, turning streets, walls and public spaces into a vibrant canvas of words through dozens of events and projects.
With a mission to share a poem with every resident, the organization celebrates the city’s diverse voices, from immigrant students to local poetry fans, in a monthlong festival that runs through April 30.
Poetry in public spaces
“The goal is to reach every single resident of Miami-Dade County with a poem,” explained Melody Santiago Cummings, co-executive producer of O, Miami. “We do that by having poems put up as public art, doing a series of workshops, and celebrating Miami through the power of poetry.”
Over 40 public events and projects are happening all over the city, celebrating Miami and all of its unique characters. This year they’re rolling out something unique called “Soy de Todas Partes” (“I am of all places”) outside Greenspace Miami.
These poems, written by immigrant students, are displayed right where you can see them – on streets, walls, anywhere and everywhere.
“Year-round we’re working with students in schools, and so many of those students share [in] the majority minority community that we’re in,” says Caroline Cabrera, co-executive producer. “At Green Space Miami we have four poems up, but our aim is to reach 100 poems in public space.”
These installations span the entire county, with one of the newest appearing at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach.
“There is no doubt that poetry is a powerful tool and a catalyst for empathy and understanding, so we’re publishing work in multiple languages,” Cabrera adds.
Celebration of community and culture
Local residents enthusiastically celebrate all that O, Miami has to offer.
“I feel like Miami really is the most poetic city in the world, just as Miami says all the time, and I feel like we’re standing here in the poetry,” shares Troy Angles, a poetry fan. “And I think that being in a city where we have so many people from so many different cultures, being able to express that through poetry is amazing.”
Peter Cole, an O, Miami fan, notes, “It’s just a great way to meet people from all over the city. As you can see from all these poems around us, everyone has just an interesting experience here, and it’s a great way to get to know people.”
Yeimi Valdes, another poetry lover, explains, “O Miami’s programming does such an incredible job at connecting us to the joy of expression, to the ways that poetry gives us a sense of community, and does it in a way that feels fun, accessible, like there’s a poet inside each and every one of us.”
And finally, as part of O, Miami’s street team initiatives, don’t be alarmed if you find what looks like a parking ticket on your windshield – it’s actually a poem! So if you come out to your car and spot a citation, don’t worry. It’s all in good feelings.
The O, Miami program runs through April 30th throughout Miami. For more information: www.omiami.org
