During the four months of her journey from Venezuela, Maryeli had not had time to be distracted or think about anything other than getting to the United States, but yesterday she paused at Comunidad AVES to enjoy the poetry shared by artists from different countries. with a group of people in mobility situations.
“It was something very nice, pleasant, something that makes a difference, I thought it was really cool, because when you start this journey you only think about that, you think about getting there, leaving where you are, that the day goes by quickly; My God, you only think about that, about your destination. And that is what you think about the whole way, on the trip, nothing but the trip; for example, my birthday passed and I didn’t remember that it was my birthday,” she shared after enjoying the Slam Poetry at the multipurpose center Community of Accompaniment, Values, Education and Health (AVES).
She and her daughter celebrated their birthdays on March 26 and 27. They arrived in Mexico City the day before and it was her daughter who asked how they would celebrate this year.
“I was just thinking about the journey, what was coming, what we were going to do, what we were going to continue, continuing the journey and asking God for all of that. We were in a hotel and he asked me what we were going to do to celebrate and I felt really bad, because I always thought about those things and now we were on a journey where we didn’t even remember, I wanted to give him his cake and I couldn’t. So, that day I couldn’t do anything for him, my mom from Venezuela sent me as best she could and two days later we cut a cake for him in the room,” she said.
While her six-year-old daughter Charlot excitedly told Colombian poet Lady “La Profeta,” winner of the 2023 Slam Poetry World Cup, that she was also Colombian, originally from Santa Marta, Maryeli was grateful that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) held the event for those who are in the midst of the journey.
“I had never been to a possess event, I thought it was very cool,” he said after enjoying about an hour of art shared by poets Zandy Nova, from Mexico; Enrique Estrada, from Peru; Andrea Zapata, from Colombia; Amanda Austral, from Chile; Maya Spoken, from Canada; Spin, from Guatemala; Midria, from Brazil; Lady, from Colombia, and Paul Gialdroni, from Argentina.
From June 28 to 30, the Slam Poetry World Cup will be held on this border, and yesterday some of the participants shared topics such as sadness, mothers, migration and their own experiences with nearly 30 Mexican and foreign children, girls, adolescents, men and women who are currently sheltered in the Alabanzas al Rey shelter.
Gialdroni, who has been doing Slam Poetry for 12 years, was one of the artists who shared his poetry, hugs, photos and dedications with the migrants.
The Argentine shared that in addition to being a migrant, he is a trans man, so sharing with other people in mobility situations comforted him.
The AVES Community multipurpose center is located at 7104 Capulín Street, in the El Granjero neighborhood, and its objective is to support both the migrant community and the host community to achieve their integration. (Hérika Martínez Prado)
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