A scene during the event.
POND ISLAND--The University of St. Martin (USM) is working toward publishing a literary magazine following an evening of poetry, spoken word, storytelling and creative expression at Lit Night @ USM on Thursday, September 10.
The announcement was made by Dean of the General Liberal Arts and Education Division Juliana Shipley-Hodge during the event, which brought together students, faculty, staff and members of the wider community.
Students, faculty, staff and community members will be encouraged to submit their work for consideration for the literary magazine.
The publication is intended to provide another platform to showcase talent throughout USM and the wider St. Maarten community.
Lit Night was held in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”.
Many attendees wore yellow as a symbol of hope, support and solidarity, while every visitor received a yellow ribbon on entering the campus.
Before the performances began, USM Counsellor Carole Joseph shared words of encouragement and reflected on the importance of checking in on others, speaking openly about mental health and reminding those who may be struggling that they are not alone.
The evening featured performers from across the USM community, including USM degree student Erwin Romney, GED student Yohan James, GED Coordinator Lisa Burnett-Davis, Executive Secretary Khalinia Brown, Dean Shipley-Hodge and holistic healer Nkosazana Illis.
Each performer shared original pieces reflecting personal experiences, creativity and a passion for literature.
The open-mic segment gave several attendees an opportunity to share their work. Stretch R performed several of his pieces, while USM student Jaleela shared a piece she had written several years ago. Nathannia also presented her work, and Romney returned to the stage with another performance.
The evening concluded with a presentation by Destinee Maison, a USM student enrolled in the SPE 116 Group Dynamics and Public Speaking course.
USM thanked faculty members who supported the event and allowed their students to participate.
The university said their encouragement helped create an opportunity for students to develop their confidence, share their voices and connect learning inside the classroom with creative expression outside of it.
USM said Lit Night demonstrated how the arts can bring people together, encourage meaningful conversations and create a stronger sense of community through poetry, spoken word and storytelling.
