J. Ivy addresses press freedom with a poetic performance.
Spoken word poet, J. Ivy, opens official WPFD events with a performance in the General Assembly Hall. He emphasized the power of stories and words. Photo by Berit Thorson
UNITED NATIONS —
“Our stories drive us to new perspective
new ideas
Our stories, our words
have power
Our words are the building blocks of our existence.
Our words meet at the crossroads of free thought
and our spirits.
Our words make room
provide space.
Our words encapsulate our time here
they liberate
Our words
educate,”
Ivy recited at the World Press Freedom Day opening ceremony.
Not only do Ivy’s words resonate with the theme of this year’s WPFD — freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights — they intend to inspire hope and action.
Ivy, a Grammy-award-winning author, poet and spoken word artist, took center stage in the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters. Fitted in a “fly” red suit, Ivy performed a combination of two original pieces: “A Poem About a Poem” and “Not of This World.”
The Chicago-born poet said, “Artistic expression is the beauty of who we are. I come from a city that is based on style and grace — that lets your expression speak for you when you don’t have a chance to speak. So, for me, it’s important to be bold, confident, be seen and be heard.”
When Ivy started performing, he wanted to embody Martin Luther King Jr.’s eloquence. As a hip-hop lover, Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane inspired his rhymes and rhythm. Meanwhile, Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou influenced his language. Through it all, his mother gave him the means and motivation to pursue his dreams.
Now, Ivy serves as a source of inspiration and collaboration for other artists and aspiring young poets. His poem “Never Let Me Down” attracted the attention of Kanye West and Jay-Z, who recorded the piece for their album, “The College Dropout.”
“I know the power of words. I’ve seen the effect and impact poetry has had on people over the years. I’ve seen it change lives. I’ve seen it save lives. I’ve seen it inspire and motivate,” Ivy said. “It’s my life mission to speak the truth and spread love. I am one of thousands who use their voices to impact culture and whose responsibility is to shift the world in a positive direction.”
Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, sat front row to watch Ivy speak his truth and share his soul with the WPFD audience. In Ivy’s role as a national trustee for the Recording Academy, he persuaded the Grammys to add Best Spoken Word Poetry Album as a new category to the 2023 award list. This past February, he won the inaugural Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for his sixth album, “The Poet Who Sat by the Door.” Ivy became the first poet to take home a Grammy since one of his role models, Maya Angelou, won Best Spoken Word Album in 2003.
To end his WPFD performance, Ivy said,
“While we’re here
sharing this precious time together
it’s so important that we remember
it is our human right
to report our truths
to write our stories
to protect the voices of the young
and the old.
but for those that disagree,
know that you will not mute our hearts.
You will never silent our souls.”
His words stuck with audience members after more than seven hours and eight different panel sessions. Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for communication and information, was particularly moved by Ivy’s performance. In the closing remarks, Jelassi said, “[Ivy] reminded us that words have power, that words educate. These words reverberated with a shared struggle for press freedom, for journalists, for poets and for all artists.”
