2017
Wake Up!
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About this talk
Spoken word artist Jesse Oliver uses his words, emotions, and experiences to illuminate the way forward.
A poetry slam champion and master of the verse, Jesse unveils both vulnerability and strength in every verse. His word slam poetry defies outdated boundaries, where every word pulsates with life.
The poetry community brings together a variety of marginalised voices. Through listening to these voices, Jesse’s poetic message calls for a revolution of love.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
About the speaker
Jesse is a spoken word artist who believes that the intimacy of poetry has the potential for positive change. In 2017 Jesse competed in the Word Travels Australian Poetry Slam where he was crowned (Perth’s first) National Poetry Slam Champion.
It was a passion to overcome a personal struggle with social anxiety that led to Jesse’s first performance. Although writing had always supported him through darker times in life, Jesse wanted to connect with others and open a discussion about his experiences of homelessness, gender transition and mental illness.
After stuttering and shaking his way through his first year, he succeeded in establishing himself on a national stage. Since then, Jesse has turned his attention outwards in response to the uncertainty and fear of the times.
