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There is no 'i' in team... but there is in microphone
About Us
Spoken Works is a program of the 501c3 Bay Area Creative, a non-profit that provides spoken word poetry workshops to underserved youth, therapeutic arts workshops for communities in need, professional development for educators. Bay Area Creative also supports community artist hubs that curate all ages poetry slams and mixed media performances. A portion of proceeds from all Spoken Works team building activities support these other programs designed to aid individuals and communities.
Our Mission
...to facilitate fun and meaningful creative experiences for people to learn more about each other, to expand lateral thinking about life and work scenarios, and to help teams develop public speaking skills all through the art form of spoken word poetry.
Our Vision
We envision a world where colleagues feel heard and valued. We believe that there is power in everyone's stories, so we strive to create environments where our shared experiences lead to connections with each other.
The Poets Behind The Program
Our team of published authors and nationally ranked spoken word artists have over one hundred hours of experience working with professionals in settings such as yours. We use spoken word poetry, creative writing and storytelling to help people bond as we have seen in the literary communities we hail from. Our team members have roots in most heritages and integrate ideas about cultural sensitivity into the services we provide.
Patrick Ohslund
Program Director
Patrick Ohslund has been a teaching artist and professional spoken word poet for over ten years. He has toured across the nation as well as internationally and has opened for renowned musical groups such as The Wailers. Patrick holds an MA in educational research using spoken word poetry to develop a culturally responsive curriculum and is a lecturer at San Francisco State University.
Camila Aguilar
Workshop Leader
Camilla Aguilar is a Xicana woman, warrior, student, educator, and poet. For over a decade, she has workshopped performance poetry with underserved youth; confronting issues such as family incarceration, addiction, violence, intergenerational trauma, mental illness, sexism, and racism through spoken word and storytelling.
Giovanna Lomanto
Workshop Leader
Giovanna Lomanto is a recent graduate of U.C. Berkeley's English & Creative Writing departments and is also a current MFA candidate at NYU's Low Residency Writer's Workshop in Paris. At 22, she has published a full collection of poetry called "no body in particular" (Scrambler Books). She has been featured in the Elevation Review, the Worth-Ryder Art Gallery, Flor y Canto Literary Festival, and KALW (San Francisco's Public Radio).
Jamey Williams
Workshop Leader
Jamey Williams is a professional a spoken word poet, actor, rapper, educator. He has taught poetry at a multitude of institutions including: college universities, juvenile detention centers, public schools, and community events. He makes sure that students experience a fun and safe community during his lessons.
Mike Taylor
Workshop Leader
Mike Taylor teaches spoken word to people of all ages. He has performed on stages from San Francisco to London and he's led national poetry teams in competition. He founded the SPARC Poetry program and continues to create workshops that connect to both youth and adults from all walks of life.
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Jason Bayani
Workshop Leader
Jason Bayani is the author of Locus (Omnidawn Publishing 2019) and Amulet (Write Bloody Publishing 2013). He’s an MFA graduate from Saint Mary’s College, a Kundiman fellow, and works as the artistic director for Kearny Street Workshop, the oldest multi-disciplinary Asian Pacific American arts organization in the country.
FAQs
Will the team have fun?
Yes! It will also be fulfilling. One of the things that sets us apart from other team building activities, is how meaningful these workshops can be not only in learning about each other, but also in discovering new things about ourselves that we have never considered.
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Will the introverts like it?
Absolutely! Spoken words allow people who might be shy in conversation to announce their identities and communicate with others in a clear format where everyone's voice is valued.
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Which workshops should we take?
It depends!
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If you want to focus on Diversity and Inclusion, take our Culture Crossroads workshop! Your team will feel heard, validated, and get to listen to each others' experiences.
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If you want to focus on teamwork and making connections, take our Metaphor Mapping workshop! Your team will have a great time creating something together.
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If you want to focus on public speaking and leadership, take our Leading with Purpose workshop. Your team will learn to give entertaining presentations, lead with a listening ear, and find ways to add their own story to the company's story.
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Why should we specifically work with Spoken Works?
Your team will leave with a deeper understanding of each other. Emotional bonds are formed through sharing stories, where epiphanies are ever-present. While public-speaking is the most common fear in the United States, our solution is to make it fun.
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How much does this program cost to bring in?
$100/ person is used to find an estimate.
There is a 4 person minimum and 30 person maximum per workshop
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Are these workshops remote or in person?
We offer both forms of workshops.
