Feature photo by Ethan Cammer
Story by Ethan Cammer
MTSU’s Urban Entertainment Society hosted its inaugural Sneaker Ball at the Chris Young Cafe Friday night. Talented poets from MTSU’s student body performed, raising money for Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based nonprofit. Students gained admission to the Sneaker Ball by donating $5 or a gently worn pair of shoes.
UAE ran a week-long campus shoe drive benefiting Soles4Souls leading up to the event. Soles4Souls creates sustainable jobs and offers support to kids and others in need by distributing gently used shoes and clothing. UAE invited students to donate in bins located in various academic and dorm buildings.
The Sneaker Ball showcased passionate poets, each bringing unique perspectives to the stage. A handful of writers shared their carefully crafted words with themes like seeking freedom amidst real struggles and navigating young adult life. Others used poetry to express comical and whimsical reflections.
Kee Franklin, a sophomore studying commercial songwriting, performed a piece titled “Dream, Dreamer.” She composed the poem just a few days before the event, she said. Kee grew up around poetry — her father is a poet, as well.
“Dreamer, Dreamer” took inspiration from Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem.” In the poem, Franklin personifies the dreams of dreamers everywhere, urging them not to let the voices of their dreams drown out amidst perfectionism and fear. The poem concludes with the lines, ”The only crime was a dreamer scared. Dreamer do you dare? Dare to dream, act despite fear, or dig your grave right here.”
Other poets performing included Ozzie Deinson, Xander Fox, JP Furtado and Steven Knight.
The Urban Entertainment Society exists to provide a welcoming creative community for all students at MTSU.
“We want people to feel completely comfortable to express themselves freely,” Keston Jones, UAE’s president, said.
Since the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE has been aiming to revive the creative and collaborative spirit at MTSU. The club catalyzes young creatives who are seeking to grow their network, collaborate with their classmates and find inspiration from the work of those around them.
Ethan Cammer is a contributing writer for MTSU Sidelines.
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