Naked Truths: The Power of Community

She paused as her eyes began to widen. Her beautifully confident stance began to hesitate as she repeated the last stanza of her poem entitled "Seventeen"during the Naked Truths: Spoken Word + Music + Dance Experience. Up to this point Landynne had delivered this meaningful expression of what it felt to be the age of seventeen with glowing confidence. Intentional words were enunciated elegantly, her stage presence and youthful glow pulling us in. And then that pause.

Anyone who has ever shared anything vulnerable knows the feeling of forgetting your words. Or moving into the wrong dance move. Or losing your place in a presentation. That gut-wrenching feeling of your mind drawing a blank feels nearly paralyzing, especially when the eyes of hundreds are upon you.

"I... I forgot." she shared honestly as she stood in the lights, trying to recall the words that would keep her poem flowing.

This could have been a moment of awkward silence or judgement. But this was NOT the kind of audience to let a budding young artist feel alone in this moment.

"Take your time, girl!" a man yelled to her.

"You've got this!" another voice joined in, as a chorus of cheers erupted for her courage.

"We love you Landynne!" still another shouted.

She tried once again and the words escaped her. Resisting the urge to run from my seat and give her a hug (like I'm sure many of us felt), I continued to cheer as she walked off stage. The cheers didn't stop, as everyone in the historic Oster Regent Theatre made it known that we were still rooting for her. A few moments later the hosts (who had already cultivated such a feeling of family within the crowd) came out with her.

Everyone who wasn't already standing jumped to their feet to applaud her bravery as she picked up where she'd left off. Tears welled in my eyes and "truth bumps" spread from head to toe at the beauty of this moment. Landynne finished her poem in its entirety, reminding us all of how it feels to be seventeen. And the crowd erupted once again.

I was profoundly touched by not only this young woman and fellow artist's courage, but how fully the community rallied together to lift her and every single performing artist up.

This is community.

We all fall down sometimes. We all have moments of pause in our lives when we're unsure what to say or do. But depending on who surrounds us, we can either feel embarrassed and alone in those moments or empowered and supported.

Community comes together and shows up for one another. Sometimes it's blood family, the people you grew up with who know you inside and out. Sometimes it's soul family who have chosen to accept and love you fully as you are. No matter how the connections form, they bring the greatest of meaning to our lives.

This sense of community was fostered between artists... many of whom were meeting one another for the first time but embraced each other's sharings whole-heartedly. It was fostered as our hosts made everyone feel welcome and cracked jokes about which side of the audience held their cousins. It grew more and more with every performer, from a dancer and poets to singers and songwriters. Every person who took the stage felt the powerful energy of support in the room.

Landynne embraced courage. That was her choice, nobody else's. Her light (and yours) shines regardless of who chooses to see it.

And not everyone will. Some will glance at your light and turn away, for it shines too brightly for their eyes. Some will criticize and judge your light, for it reminds them of how little they're shining their own. Still others will try to overtake it with darkness, for darkness has enveloped them and they know nothing else.

But your community? When you begin to dim your light, they remind you of how brightly it shines. When others cast shade upon it, they encourage you to rise above. When you're shining it brightly, they beam with the joy of watching you in your radiance.

It was the greatest honor to bask in the glow of such talented artists, sharing their gifts and their hearts. From Sarah, who transmuted her grief into something beautiful... to Tanara, who expressed her kind spirit with the sharing of her gift... to Jim who had us rolling in laughter and tears welling in empathy... to Vincent inviting us to think more deeply and stand up for what's right... to Chris and Noah who made us all feel so supported behind the scenes... to the talented musicians in the pit weaving in and out of our words... to Dani who has continued to encourage the shining of my own light... to Nicole who brought us all together in inspiration...

and the list goes on!

Sharing the stage with this community (on stage, back stage, and in those seats) for Naked Truths was an experience I'll never forget. May we do our best to nurture community that uplifts in spirit. May we open our hearts and expand this open-hearted acceptance beyond the limitations of disconnect, and embrace the world around us as community.

Love & Peace,

Ashley Kay

P.S. Enjoy a handful of moments in time graciously captured and shared by Cat McCombs of Cicado Video.