Thank you for participating the Individual World Poetry Slam 09 here in Berkeley. Thanks for making this historic event so marvelous!  Please take a moment to help us ensure this event will grow and improve…

Our Home City Committee has agreed to create a photo gallery and a testimonials page on our website, which will be archived and remain on the internet. Our intent is to help people who've never been to IWPS get a feel for how wonderful the event is, and to give future fundraisers tools they can use to show potential sponsors and granting agencies.

If you took photographs during the event, at related side events, or nearby, please consider this an invitation to submit your favorites for inclusion in the gallery. Of course we can't promise to include them all, we're looking for an overview and the kinds of pictures that will provide a 'window' to people who weren't there. We want to show the majesty, the banality, the beauty, the diversity, the big moments and the really special small ones that most folks may never see but should.

We can't include video that was taken during the actual bouts, but we CAN accept video taken outside or during the Last Chance Slam. We will be very careful to credit your work in whatever way you desire. We do not need high-resolution images, just work that will look good on an internet gallery at approximately 3x5” screen size.

So please, look over your pictures with fresh eyes, as if you were wondering what IWPS is, and if you wanted to go to this event. What compelling images would you like to share? What moments moved you deeply? Who were key figures who influenced the event and should be remembered? You can send me a link to your favorites on facebook, or another site. It's probably not practical to send me pictures directly (data size), but if you do, keep the numbers low. charlesellik @ yahoo dot com.

If you were one of the many kind people who grabbed one of our volunteers during the tournament and said "THANK YOU!", or who wrote to one of us after words (or even if you didn't), please type up your comment and/or send me a brief (100 words or less) testimonial about what this event meant to you, or why it is important. Try to write it in such a way that someone who'd never been would know what you're talking about. I'm not fishing for compliments here, I'm asking your help in describing IWPS through your responses, in your own enthusiastic words.

Thanks again everyone!
Charles Ekabhumi Ellik
Home City Committee Chairman, IWPS 09

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** 2 ROUNDS **

** 14 POETS (max) **

** 7 POETS MOVE on to the 2nd ROUND **

** TOP POET PERFORMS at IWPS FINALS on SATURDAY NIGHT!!! **

To register, email Josh at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name/age/phone. We'll accept 10 pre-registrations. And then we'll leave 4 spots for folks to sign up the day of the event. Those last 4 spots will be open to folks who show up at the Starry Plough Thursday (10/8) at 4:30pm.

A contract with the gorgeous, newly-remodeled Hotel Shattuck Plaza has finally been signed!  YIPPEEE! www.hotelshattuckplaza.com

This is where we will have the Late Late Night events on Thursday and Friday. Yes, there is an outdoor smoking area! We stroll leisurly downhill from our Finals Venue to the Hotel, where we will host our After Party in their ballroom (and attached bar) on Oct 10th.

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There have been a LOT of questions about the legendary Last Chance Slam, and recently a couple changes.  Here's the scoop:
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We’re excited to team up with the Living Word Festival for our annual Poets’ BBQ on Saturday, Oct 10! IWPS will provide food and drink for poets, staff, and IWPS Festival Ticket holders. LWF’s annual “red, black, and GREEN” event will provide a world-famous Hip Hop artist, thousands of fans, graffiti battles, low-rider bicycle displays, green architecture displays, and much more!

11:00am-5:00pm: POETS’ BBQ. Free, all ages.

DeFremery Park (AKA Little Bobby Hutton Park): 1651 Adeline Street, Oakland, CA 94607
www.oaklandnet.com/parks/Facilities/rc_defremery.asp
Living Word Project and Festival:
http://livingwordproject.org

Our Public Relations director, Chris Bundy, announced that he has just become engaged to fellow San Jose Slam organizer Kat Dietrich! Congrats, Kat & Chris!!!

Folks, here's a few important details for those of you arriving early and/or staying late for IWPS 09 (click title to read article):

The Berkeley Slam will host the "Last Chance Slam" at the Starry Plough the night before IWPS 2009 begins. That's Wednesday, Oct 7th.

The Last Chance Slam has become a tradition each year, and one of the most popular 'side events'. This is an especially important show, because it gives out-of-town poets who aren't yet registered one last chance to earn a spot in the actual IWPS competition!

In the past week we've filled some crucial staff positions. We are excited to add to our committee a new (professional) P.R. Director, Chris Bundy. He also happens to be host of the San Jose Slam! We are relieved to have a dedicated new Volunteer Coordinator: Terry Taplin. Terry is involved in both Cal Slam (at UC Berkeley) and Youth Speaks.  We FINALLY found a good fit for Development Director: Tatyana Brown. Tatyana was on this year's Fairfield Slam Team. And Jen "Genius" Gigatino has signed on as our Daytime Events Coordinator! Jen is coach of this year's Team San Jose.

One of our original gang of organizers, Mark States, had to drop from the Home City Committee due to life-threatening health issues. Our new number-cruncher (Treasurer) is William Jeske. William is a long-time fan and supporter of the San Jose slam.

May 27, 2009 — Wheeler Hall is confirmed as our Finals Venue

Feb 25, 2009 — PSI Site Visit

PSI's representative visits Berkeley for a site visit.  She visits the slam, approves all our potential venues, and has a great time.

January 8, 2009 — Contract Signed

The contract between PSI and the Home City Council Chairman (Charles Ekabhumi Ellik, formerly one of the Berkeley organizers) is signed.  The Home City Committee begins meeting twice Monthly.

October 28, 2008 — Contract Approved

The Executive Council approves the re-written contract unanimously.  The Home City Committee begins meeting monthly.

September 28, 2008 — Rewritten Contract Sent to PSI

After much wrangling over the "New Model" of IWPS and the relationship between PSI and the Host City, the Berkeley Organizers re-write the contract and deliver it to PSI.

July 2008 —A Contract is Delivered to the Berkeley Organizers.

January 2008 — The Berkeley Organizers begin meeting monthly.

August 11, 2007 — Berkeley Bid Approved Unanimously with Standing O

Berkeley's bid to host IWPS 2009 is approved unanimously with a standing ovation at the Slam Family meeting in Madison WI!  The Berkeley Organizers begin meeting quarterly

March 1999 — Berkeley Poetry Slam is Born

IWPS 2009 will be held during our 10th year!

August 1989 — San Francisco Hosts the First Ever National Poetry Slam

It has been 20 years since a "Slam Family" (PSI) event has been held in the S.F. Bay Area!