Prismatic by Ashley Cornelius, Spoken Word Poetry
Artist Statement
I exist to care for my soul by creating art unapologetically for public consumption, personal healing, and social justice. I translate human experiences into poetry to create bridges of understanding for diverse audiences to meet each other in empathy, compassion, and curiosity. My poetry honors the intersections of my identity and allows me to tell stories of revolutionary joy, rest, pain, rage and the complexities of my lived experiences. Poetry acts as an amplifier for my voice and I am dedicated to using my work as activism and advocacy. I aim to create mini universes in every poem for the audience/reader to sink into, explore, and grow in. I exist as a vehicle of healing so those seeking support can explore and utilize art as a tool to process and tell their stories. I fulfill my purpose by hosting workshops, performing, teaching, creating events, and speaking engagements from a therapeutic and artistic lens so that my communities and identities are remembered, represented and joyous. I capture memories and ancestral wisdom in the amber of my poetry. I aim to heal more and harm less and lead individuals, institutions, and systems to do the same. Poetry is my “first language” and the lens with which I see and interpret the world.
