Blanketed by the darkness daylight savings offered, we gathered in a small intimate group to hold our final Medicina Open Mic of 2020. Though this year has taken us for a spin, we have a lot to be grateful for and the growing community cultivated in Medicina, the several featured artists who have shared their gifts with us, and the community members who supported, held, and uplifted one another are just a few of our many blessings. On this night, we began by opening up the circle with introductions and holding space for what we were carrying thus establishing a circle of care and trust - setting a tone of authenticity and allowance to be human and vulnerable.
The first performer of the night was our featured artist Poet Astrid. Astrid is a Salvadoran-American poet and journalist based in Los Angeles. Astrid is a beacon in L.A.’s writing community, shining through with her annual showcase Talk That Sh!t while having highly esteemed featured performances at Take the Mic, Unplugd LA, Sela Arts Festival, LitFest Pasadena, Viva La Muxer and Cultural Weekly just to name a few. She continues to share her editorial voice at L.A. Taco, an independent press covering the native Los Angeles community.
We were blessed to have Astrid on the brink of her newest book release for Through the Soul in My Skin. She shared with us pieces of her body of work yet to be released and spoke of healing, growth, and self-love. Highlighting the urgency and importance of speaking from her perspective in hopes that others would feel seen, validated, and comforted by her words. The stars were truly aligned and a divine connection was made having Astrid close us in ceremony and in sermon.
To follow Poet Astrid’s work, you can visit her website and or instagram page.
Join us for our next open mic January 2021.
Written by: Sahara-Yvette Zamudio, Femme Goddess Co. Intern