8 debut finalists compete in First Citizens National Poetry Slam

Eight debut finalists are among the 16 poets selected to compete for the coveted title of the First Citizens National Poetry Slam Champion on April 28 at Queen’s Hall, St Ann's.

The event will close off the 14th annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest, which runs from April 25-28.

This year marks the 12th edition of the First Citizens National Poetry Slam, the Caribbean’s biggest spoken word championship, a media release said.

The winner gets $50,000 from the title sponsor First Citizens, with $20,000 to the runner-up, and $10,000 to the third-place finisher.

Slam champion Kyle Hernandez will be defending his title, having earned an automatic spot in the final. He will face off against 15 poets, including the eight debut finalists, a record-breaking number of new entrants in the history of the poetry slam, the release said.

Seasoned veterans and past winners also stand in the way, ensuring that the competition will be keen and unpredictable, the release said. Alexandra Stewart, three-time Slam champ and winner of the 2023 NGC Bocas Youth Writer Award, adds another chapter to her storied career, making her ninth appearance in the Grand Slam. This year, Renaldo Briggs also made history as the first Wild Card poet to advance to the final round of the Slam.

The Slam is a family-oriented event, inviting audiences of all ages to witness the power of words to inspire, provoke, and entertain, the release said.

Tickets are available at Island E-Tickets, Paper Based Bookshop, select Xtra Foods locations, and Queen’s Hall.

Debut finalists

Alicia Haynes

Daniel Baptiste

Darion Cunningham

Dershawn Hernandez

Gabrielle Murray

Kedisha Thomas

Keeron Isaac

Shakira Burton

Returning finalists

Alexandra Stewart

Derron Sandy

Michael Logie

Seth Sylvester

Renaldo Briggs

Ronaldo Mohammed

Standby poets

Kevin Soyer

Soleil La Barrie