Tacoma’s spoken word group, Speak Your Soul, continues its regular second Friday happenings with a performance poetry reading with an open mic for all poets and poetry styles Dec. 12 at Urban Grace.



“There’s something very powerful in the audio and live energy of spoken word. Everyone should experience it,” says Zach Street, founder of Speak Your Soul.



Initially partnered with fellow spoken word comrades Free Ya Mind, local poet and resident flow master Street branched off to form Speak Your Soul this year with Free Ya Mind’s blessings. For him, Speak Your Soul was born as a way to bring community-focused spoken word to all of Tacoma and beyond. It was Street’s goal to make an effort of reaching out to and incorporating all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds in this special art form.



Street has since bolstered his group with a bevy of performance-passionate volunteers and artists including Lucas ‘Vanilla Soul” Smiraldo, Elijah Muied, Emily Noelle Ignacio, Katie Kirkwood, and Street’s wife, Trystin Oeljen. Amongst the team, each member offers skills and talents that consist of theatrical work, writing, event planning, recording, photography, Web site and Facebook maintenance, and performance support. Each member is supportive of the Speak Your Soul mission and helps to create the warm and welcoming environment.



Taken from the poem, Tacomaellenium — a Tacoma tribute poem on speakyoursoul.org — Street flows poetic: “Tacoma is a carnivorous and juicy teriyaki Art Mecca in bloom Home to dog walking, the 100th monkey, and great ethnic food.”

Now say that 10 times fast, then get to the reading!



[Urban Grace, Friday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m., 902 Market St., Tacoma, speakyoursoul.org]