I, Too, Am American: A 250-Year Slam|14th and V|Hosted: Charity Blackwell
Date and Time
Jul 2, 2026 8:00 pm
Location
14th & V
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
Jul 2, 2026 8:00 pm
14th & V
A 250-year slam inspired by “I, Too,” featuring 5 poets, a $250 prize, and an open mic hosted by Charity Blackwell.
Hosted by Charity Blackwell
Busboys and Poets 14th & V
Free Admission
America is turning 250 — and we’ve got something to say.
Inspired by Langston Hughes’ iconic poem “I, Too,” Busboys and Poets invites you to an evening of poetry, truth-telling, community, and reflection. I, Too, Am American: A 250-Year Slam is a special invitational poetry slam and open mic rooted in one powerful question:
What does it mean to be American to you?
For generations, poets have used the mic to challenge power, tell the truth, hold history, and imagine something better. In that spirit, this night brings together five invited poets to compete for a $250 cash prize in honor of America’s 250 years. Each poet will perform original work that speaks to identity, freedom, belonging, resistance, culture, joy, grief, survival, and the complicated promise of this country.
After the slam, the mic opens to the community — because America’s story has never belonged to one voice.
Whether you come to listen, witness, snap, clap, speak, reflect, or leave with something on your spirit, this space is for the people. Bring a poem. Bring a truth. Bring a question. Bring the America you inherited, the America you survived, and the America you are still dreaming into existence.
8–9 PM | Invitational Slam
Five invited poets. Two rounds. One winner. $250 cash prize.
9–10 PM | Community Open Mic
The mic opens for poets, writers, artists, and community members to share work connected to the theme:
What does it mean to be American to you?
This is not just a celebration.
It is a reflection.
A reckoning.
A declaration.
At Busboys and Poets, we know the table is bigger when the people speak.
Free admission. All are welcome.
I, too, am American.
HOSTED BY: CHARITY BLACKWELL
Charity Blackwell the D.O.P.E (Director of Poetry Events) at Busboys and Poets and the Senior Advisor for Arts and Culture at DC SCORES.She is a spoken word artist, poet, emcee, motivational speaker, activist, and teacher who hails from South Carolina and now calls Washington, DC home. As a queer woman of color and daughter of a former NAACP president, Charity has always used her talents to uplift the LGBTQ and African American communities, as well as advocating for social justice, youth development, domestic violence awareness, and women’s rights. She’s performed on stages and media outlets near and far, including Lincoln Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Hirshhorn Museum, BBC News, Major League Soccer Network, TedxTysons, and more. Charity is a graduate of Trinity University in Washington, DC, where she earned a bachelor's and master's in communications
Website: CharityBlackwell.com
