College junior performs at the White House "Poetry Jam"

While most students were saying goodbye to their dorms last Tuesday, College junior Joshua Bennett was being welcomed into a new room - one further to the East.

Bennett was one of a handful of performers invited to celebrate poetry, music and spoken word in the East Room of the White House with the first family and about 200 guests.

"Even during the run through, I was almost in tears to be with such seasoned and accomplished performers who were also so down to earth," Bennett said. "Everyone was in awe at each other's talents."

The first-ever White House "Poetry Jam" was host to stars both rising and legendary. Those sharing the microphone included James Earl Jones, pianist Eric Lewis and bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding.

"We're here to celebrate the power of words and music to help us appreciate beauty," President Barack Obama told those in attendance, "but also to understand pain, to inspire us to action, and to spur us on when we start to lose hope."

The poetry jam event garnered much media coverage, from The Washington Post to The Daily Show.

For Bennett, it was one of many chances to shine. With about two to three gigs per week, including on- and off-campus performances, his life as a student is about "balancing papers and poems."

He writes frequently, so he usually has a fresh poem for each event - or at least one on deck he can use. Professors are often understanding of when he's out of class for performances, but it sometimes takes a bit of negotiating.

Since he started writing at age 17, the slam poet has gained national acclaim through his role on HBO's Brave New Voices, a seven-part series featuring young poets from across the country. He also performed at the NAACP Image Awards with fellow Excelano Project member College senior Ben Alisuag.

Bennett was invited to perform by an HBO executive producer. Another poetry jam performer also had appeared on Brave New Voices.

"It was absolutely amazing," Bennett said. "The White House is absolutely beautiful."

In the future, he plans to pursue fellowships that help him "find a way to make my craft and my academic work meet."

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