By Claire Donohoe
Photography by Sloane Barlow
Please note: This article refers to the violence our community experienced in 2023, which may be difficult to read. Resources and assistance are available through multiple campus programs – learn more here.
Students and community members gathered in the Union for a night of spoken word poetry and connection during the “Reclaiming Space” open mic.
The Department of Art, Art History and Design partnered with local nonprofit The Poetry Room to host an open mic in the MSU Union on Feb. 5, 2025. Members of the MSU Poetry Club, Michigan State faculty and the greater Lansing community were all in attendance.
The open mic, titled “Reclaiming Space,” was developed in conjunction with the collaborative art exhibit also housed in the Union – serving as a reflective and expressive space for students in specific regard to the shooting which took place on Feb. 13, 2023, on Michigan State’s campus. As the second anniversary of the tragedy approached, the open mic night and art exhibit served as a space for students and community members to come together and share writing and experiences.
Poetry Room host and former Lansing poet Laureate, Masaki Takahashi, said this event and its theme gave people the space to speak about their relationships to tragedy and what they might still be processing. “This theme created space for those ready to confront pain and share their stories on their own terms. We left it open-ended, allowing artists to explore not just grief, but also healing, and how we reclaim our narratives, identities and histories in the aftermath of hardship.”
The Poetry Room, started in 2017, is a spoken word community dedicated to celebrating poetry and self-expression. “We curate dynamic events featuring local and national artists, providing a platform for expression, connection and growth,” Takahashi said.
The night began with a set from feature spoken word poet Peace Bell, followed by a 20-spot open mic attendees could sign up for upon entry. While not all attendees performed pieces that followed the theme “Reclaiming Space,” many did – one being a third-year journalism student Cassidy Howard.
Howard performed a piece titled “Spartan Strong,” expressing that she had a complex relationship with the phrase, especially in the aftermath of the events of Feb. 13. Overtime, however, they have adapted their personal definition of “strong” and what it means to them.
“Sometimes strength is letting yourself be vulnerable, and acknowledging that does not make you any less,” Howard said.
Howard found The Poetry Room after Feb. 13, 2023, and said it has been an incredible community for her. “I think that’s the beauty of poetry, every single person belongs.” Howard recently produced a short film titled “What’s Left Behind” that details the experience of our generation growing up surrounded by gun violence, featuring poetry she wrote. “I find a great amount of solace in writing about these things, so even if it is just a poem you keep to yourself, I highly recommend writing your feelings to make them something tangible,” Howard said.
“We hope that MSU continues to provide space for people to process, heal and remember the tragedy of the shooting on February 13th,” Takahashi said. “There are many who were not ready to share their stories yet, and that’s okay. Our goal is to help create a space where, whenever they are ready, they know they will be heard, supported and held in community.”
An open mic sign-up sheet at the entrance to the “Reclaiming Space” event in the Union on Feb. 5, 2025. All participants were welcome to sign up for one of the 20 open mic spots as part of an event centered on self-love, reclaiming space, healing and grief.
Second-year English student Jack Williams attended the event to support two friends performing. “I love listening to poetry, but I am so bad at writing it,” Williams said.
“These events are important for the community because they allow us to create spaces where we can be vulnerable in such a loud world,” Williams said. “In regards to this event specifically, it provides a space of reflection for the community to engage with following tragic events.”
Howard said the event’s theme offered a balance between what happened and where the community wants to look. “You can’t just remove the bad from a place; you must also welcome the good. I believe that the opposite of war isn’t peace, it’s creation. So to be able to create, and be honest in a space is so incredibly important. ‘Reclaiming Space’ allows for people to vent and express what they struggle with, but also to find joy as well.”
The art exhibit, down the hall from the open mic, remained open for the entirety of the event. Attendees were encouraged to engage with the space before, after or during the performances, and contribute to the multiple collaborative pieces – such as a mural and origami making for a collective sculpture.
Takahashi said the combination of poetry and event coordination created a space for people to connect in deep, meaningful ways. “Curating these events is about creating space — both physically and emotionally — for voices that need to be heard. Poetry has the power to challenge, heal and inspire, and these gatherings provide a home for stories that might otherwise go unheard. It’s about fostering a community where artists feel seen and audiences leave transformed.”
“Reclaiming Space” offered all attendees, performers and event coordinators the opportunity to reflect, share and experience through multiple art mediums in community.