C.c. Carter!

POW-WOW was started by C.C. Carter over seven years ago. Having traveled on a book tour for over three years and being a part of the slam scene for over ten years, she found that there were little venues that felt non-threatening to her as a woman or as a woman of color. Whereas several spoken word venues that had mostly white patrons felt more accepting, within the African American community the word “bitch and homo” was constant vocabulary spoken by men and other women. She approached several local organizations within the community, but many felt that the community was not ready for a steady cultural event since the only real successes had been parties. She started an open mic where men and women would gather to read poetry but with a very “womanist” approach and respect. The poetry venue that started with less than twelve people in the audience now boasts over 75 – 100 people weekly and has hosted some of the elite poets from around the world. POW-WOW and its founder have received over 15 national awards and public recognition and is studied in women and gender studies classes around the country. Eve Ensler, the creator of V-DAY – A worldwide Public Awareness campaign to stop violence against women and girls, dubbed C.C. Carter as an International Vagina Warrior and considers POW-WOW, Inc a necessary organization in the Chicagoland area for creating safe spaces for women artists and their allies.