Amidst numerous up-and-coming open mics in Rhode Island, the Providence Poetry Slam (ProvSlam) remains one of the largest and longest-running slams in US history. Co-founded in 1992 by nationally renowned author and slam poet Patricia Smith, ProvSlam is an undeniable example of how Blackness is an integral part of Providence’s lavish history. Over recent years, the staff at ProvSlam have been recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic while also recovering the cultural saga embodied in their work. I recently spoke with one of ProvSlam’s current Co-Directors and Youth Chair, Naffisatou Koulibaly, to uncover the reality of what goes into supporting an oral storytelling community of this magnitude, success, and longevity.
A Poetic Partnership – ProvSlam & AS220 Naffi’s experience at ProvSlam highlights how they have harmoniously come together with local organization AS220 to protect and cultivate the art of spoken word. The Providence Poetry Slam is currently hosted at AS220’s Empire Street Complex, a bar and live performance space designed for local artistry and youth programming.
Naffisatou started as a youth member of AS220’s after-school program, where she was first introduced to slam poetry and other forms of artistic expression. Her first performance was at fifteen years old, when cherished mentor Vatic Kuumba secretly wrote her name on ProvSlam’s open mic sign-up. Naffi went on to join the ProvSlam Youth Team and traveled with them to Houston, where they competed in the Brave New Voices international poetry festival. She remained involved with AS220 and Prov Slam throughout the rest of her teens and eventually stepped into a leadership role following the pandemic in 2021. Since then, Naffisatou has made great strides in reinstating the AS220 + ProvSlam’s youth program and generating sustainable resources to support its growth.
Most recently, she earned a grant from Rhode Island’s Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) to continue hosting workshops for local youth, primarily adolescents navigating the state’s foster care and criminal justice systems. These funds not only sponsor programs, but they create opportunities for creativity, connectivity, and healing. Naffi describes their work as deeply profound and appreciates the impact that ProvSlam and AS220 have had on her development as both a young person and a writer.
The Vision for ProvSlam — Looking for Legacy
The board at ProvSlam is exploring solutions to a common question amongst Black and brown communities in today’s world – how does one build legacy? As previous generations of artists and activists journey on to broader horizons, how do we sustain and expand upon the projects, knowledge, and genres that they’ve brought to fruition?
This question becomes all the more suspenseful when we consider the additional dimension of how social media can be both a medium and an illusion for documenting legacy. How do we know that our work won’t vanish into the boundless void of the internet? How do we know when we’ve made a tangible, lasting impact in this digital age? Is spoken word an experience of distinctly that moment in which it happens, or does it have a prolonged life in cyberspace?
I humbly argue that legacy does not lie in the past or the future, nor does it reside on our timelines. Legacy is a thread collectively woven through time. It is lodged in our day-to-day choices to demonstrate consistency, love, and community for one another, especially for those seeking these basic tenets of human existence. This is what sticks in our memories, and this is what we pass on. Accepting this narrative, ProvSlam continues to be an enduring example of what it means to cultivate legacy right before our very eyes.
Notable Leaders in Prov Slam’s Lineage
Chrysanthemum, she/her (Current Co-Director)
As a co-director and programming chair at ProvSlam, Chrysanthemum is a pillar of the slam community in Providence. She is a wildly successful poet and live performer herself who was recently the first to earn the title of youth poet-in-residence for LGBTQ Writers in Schools.. You can see her perform live every other Thursday at AS220 as she hosts ProvSlam.
Vatic Tayari Astahili Kuumba, he/him (Performer & Youth Mentor)
Arriving in RI nearly a decade ago, Vatic has since dedicated himself to the flourishing youth arts and theater scene in Providence. He has mentored dozens of ProvSlam poets through AS220’s youth programs, and continues to lead civil activist movements throughout the region. Kuumba’s art and performances are ingeniously designed to provoke uncomfortable emotions that force people to face the world for what it is. His message sticks in the hearts and minds of the youth and now adult performers he has mentored over the years.
Charlotte Abotsi, she/her (Former co-director)
Defining what it means to be a successful administrator of the arts, Charlotte Abotsi has competed in several international poetry festivals and has received numerous fellowships for her work. After co-directing ProvSlam, she now serves as an engagement coordinator for the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture, Tourism, and is on the Board of Trustees for the Providence Public Library, demonstrating how we can be both participants and facilitators of local art.
Devin Samuels, he/him (Former Co-Director)
With a stake in dozens of the arts-centered nonprofit organizations across New England and the Midwest, Devin is a force beyond words. His work includes orchestrating DESIGNxRI, cultivating several youth poetry workshops and festivals across Detroit, and co-directing the Providence Poetry Slam. He now leads the New World Social Innovation Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School. His work reminds educators that empathy is the most powerful tool that youth can develop through mentorship and creativity.
Muggs Fogarty, they/them (Former Co-Director)
A multidimensional writer, performer, and vocalist, Muggs is a foundational member of the ProvSlam family. They are an eight-time representative of PVD at the national poetry slam and have coached youth and collegiate poetry groups at UCONN, Brown, and RISD. Their current endeavours include their solo loop pedal poetry project, which was nominated for Motif’s “Best Noise Act” of 2021, as well as their bodyworks services offered through Leverage in Providence. Their poem “October Diptych” was featured in Motif’s 2024 October issue: motifri.com/ october-diptych-poetry.
Franny Choi, she/they (Former Co-Director)
Franny spent the early years of their blossoming poetry career co-directing the Providence Poetry Slam after graduating from Brown. She has gone on to become a national award-winning poet and author. Now a seasoned performer and Poet Laureate of Northampton, MA, their current work explores themes of human existence amidst political and internal turmoil.
Naffisatou Koulibaly, she/her (Current Co-Director)
Last, but far from least, with about a decade of performing, volunteering, and mentoring under her belt, Naffisatou is a mighty champion of ProvSlam’s enduring commitment to enhancing its community through creativity. You can see her perform at local slams and open mics across the state, or you can support any of the AS220 youth showcases and programs that she facilitates. We appreciate her time and honesty in providing this interview.
See for Yourself – ProvSlam 2024-2025 Season
To witness history as spoken through the lips of local literary talent, you can catch ProvSlam’s open mic every other Thursday evening at 115 Empire Street. They are roughly halfway through their 20242025 slam season with the next qualifying slam on February 20th. The final Grand Slam is set for April 17th and will determine the 2025 Providence Slam Team, which will then travel to compete with other teams around the country. •
To support their poets and youth programs, visit ProvSlam.org or follow @ProvSlam on Instagram.
