The Social Slam

Be empowered and inspired through an evening of poetry and spoken word about the challenges that impact us all, including climate change, mental health and identity. Be engaged by a dynamic collection of strong female voices (Amanda Anastasi, Fatma Hussein and Megan J Riedl), and then why not share your original poetry or spoken word pieces during the Open Mic session? Hosted by Sunshine’s own Huong Truong, this is an evening you don’t want to miss!

Amanda Anastasi is a poet from Melbourne’s west and the author of The Inheritors  (Black Pepper, 2021). Her poetry is featured in Best Australian Science Writing 2021 and her video poetry was shortlisted in the 2021 Woollahra Digital Literary Awards. Amanda was awarded the Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowship to write poetry set in the year 2042, and she is a two-time winner of the Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize. Amanda is currently Poet in Residence at the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub where she writes poetry about the climate crisis. She is the convener of La Mama Poetica.

Fatma Hussein is a passionate spoken word artist. She writes to courageously challenge mental health, self (care, love, growth, awareness), conversations, thoughts, and identity. Her unique style of writing is open-ended. In 2021 she came out with the first edition of her self-published poetry book, The Fire in the Rain.  Exploring the wonders of identity through experiences had or foreseeable, The Fire in the Rain is a photosynthesis of collective conversations and thoughts. This book is her sacred keepsake to keep spreading love and light through her honest and vulnerable words.

Megan J Riedl is feeling out loud. Combining the personal and political, Megan leads by example in speaking up - sharing the messy, human experiences that often go unspoken. Her poetry and plays explore themes of identity, belonging, truth and power, highlighting issues of social justice. A powerhouse spoken word performer, Megan was awarded Queensland Poetry’s XYZ Innovation in Spoken Word Prize in 2021 and was an Australian Poetry Slam State Finalist for the last three years.

Huong Truong is a community organiser, facilitator and local Sunshine mum. She is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and is a former Greens Member of the Victorian Parliament.

- The 2022 Brimbank Writers & Readers Festival is proudly supported by principal sponsor Victoria University Polytechnic