Jared Paul, who was last in town during his “Occupy Poetry Month” tour in April, is returning to Albany this coming Saturday at the Social Justice Center (33 Central Ave., Albany). Jared will be joined on stage with poets and spoken word artists from Albany Poets, musicians, and guest speakers for this special event.

Jared is a powerful and dynamic poet, activist, and educator who has performed all over the world and was involved with and coached the renowned Providence Poetry Slam Team. It is a real treat to have him in town and a great honor for him to share the stage with local poets and artists. This show is not to be missed.

Here is a little more about Jared to get you ready for Saturday:

AS A PERFORMANCE POET… Having toured internationally in over 200 cities throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe alongside legendary poets, musicians, journalists, and speakers such as Saul Williams, Amy Goodman, Sage Francis, Raine Maida (of Our Lady Peace), Paul Hawken, Jello Biafra, Immortal Technique, Anti-Flag, The Misfits and many others, Jared is widely recognized as one of the premiere performance poets in the world. His work has been featured on the Canadian Broadcast Company program “Zed TV,” as well as in CMJ Magazine and The Providence Journal. Jared is a two time Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist and was a featured poet at the Greenbuild 2007 International Conference & Expo. He was a guest performer for the Post Secret national book tour, and the headlining act for the 2009 Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach grand opening at the nationally acclaimed Villa Stuck gallery in Munich, Germany. “Jared Paul is a stunning performer – staring audiences in the eyes and calling for conscious responses to injustice. His talent at sharing complex ideas through verse should not be missed.”

– The Eureka Times Standard AS AN ACTIVIST… With over a decade of anti-war/animal rights/environmental protection organizing and a storied career laden with protest arrests, Jared Paul has become somewhat of a modern folk hero within the underground American counter-culture. His most notable run-in with the law happened during the 2008 Republican National Convention, where Jared was the victim of a mass arbitrary arrest. Fans and supporters jumped to action, creating a fundraiser via www.ConspiracyToRiot.com, from which an attorney was hired and the case was eventually dropped. His “Conspiracy To Riot” creative non-fiction series was published by the quarterly Providence periodical “The Agenda” and Strange Famous Records. “Jared Paul is a firestorm of conviction and flow. In a world long on words and short on action, Jared delivers both.”

– Peter Young, nationally renowned animal rights organizer and advocate for social justice. “If the United Nations needed a representative from the Slam/poetry community, we’d send them Jared.”

– Buddy Wakefield, 2004 & 2005 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion, 2005 European Slam Champion “Emerson said that character is higher than intellect. What happens when someone has both character and intellect, as well as a sense of conviction that can be described only as humbling? You have made Jared Paul’s acquaintance.”

– Columbia Recording Artist, Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace AS AN EDUCATOR… Jared is the founder and 8 time coach of the Providence National Youth Poetry Slam Team, assisting and encouraging Rhode Island youth to seize the reins of performance art since 2001. Under Jared’s direction Team Providence advanced to finals stage at The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Jared has facilitated performance poetry and direct action workshops at festivals, conferences, universities, prep schools, youth correctional facilities, public schools, and writer’s groups across America. “The only thing stronger than Jared Paul’s convictions is his ability to change yours with the craft of his language.”

– Sonya Renee, 2004 Individual National Poetry Slam Champion “Punk-rap for the Dead Prez set, Jared Paul has some real flow mastery”

– Vice Magazine “Jared Paul is a juggernaut who lives his politics. His work speaks to the political – which is his personal – that he lives with sincere conviction and integrity.”

– Michael Cirelli, Executive Director URBAN WORD NYC “Jared Paul is the watchdog of poetry, a force not unlike a hurricane– a very skinny, loud, sweaty hurricane that wants you to know your life is worth everything and that this planet belongs to us all.”

– Mike McGee, 2003 Individual National Poetry Slam Champ and 2006 Individual World Poetry Slam Champ

For those who were not able to make it out to the show in April at the Hudson River Coffee House featuring poetry and spoken word from local poets Kevin Peterson, Elizag, Poetyc Visionz, and ILLiptical, here are some photos from the event:

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