Inkera Oshun running for re-election on the EC

[inkera]

I am currently the Artistic Director, Co-Slammaster, and number one fan for SlamCharlotte, one of the slam teams in Charlotte NC.

I don’t consider myself to be poet but I am a lover of poetry, good people, warm spirits and rain showers. I find solace in volunteering and helping others.

My love affair with PSi started in 2004 at the first iWPS in Greenville SC. Since then, I have volunteered at a PSi event every year.
I served as co-organizer for iWPS 2006, 2008, 2010 and currently for NPS 2012. I served as co-organizer for the Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam in 2005 and I currently serve as the Assistant-Tournament Director.

I became a member of the EC in 2006 as the iWPS host city coordinator. I served for a year and was re-elected as a trustee at the end of 2007 and have served on the EC since then. I am currently the Treasurer and a member of the PSi Finance Committee.

I have enjoyed my tenure on the EC and feel that I have helped create policies and procedures that further serve to strengthen the organization. I am excited about the work the EC past/present have put in place and would love to help further develop the mission of the organization.

If it is the will of the Slammasters, I would love to continue serving PSi and the poetry community through my service on the Executive Council.

[hsampson]

Thanks for the info, Inkera.  I'm very happy you are running for re-election!

[jesster]

Inkera is wonderful to work with. She is organized and patient and extremely knowledgeable.

-Jesse

[Scott Woods]

Inkera is easily one of the hardest-working EC members I've been on a team with. And she has a great knack for keeping the bigger picture in front of folks at decision time. Go get 'em, sis.

[inkera]

Jesse, Scott, & Henry~You guys have taught me so much. I'm still learning and thankful for the experience.

[Steve]

I've watched Inkera's stature and ability grow from her entry. If you are really interested in transparency, this is the person who has worked as hard as anyone and harder than most to keep the most and best information in front of those who seek it.

[karen_g]

I've watched Inkera's stature and ability grow from her entry. If you are really interested in transparency, this is the person who has worked as hard as anyone and harder than most to keep the most and best information in front of those who seek it.

Word! Inkera is a gem.

[randomcelestial]

Hi Inkera,

Glad to see you running!

A few questions:

During your term as a member of the EC, four of the last six major tournaments had very poor attendance, including the last two iWPS and WoWPS events, and in the cultural consciousness, poetry slam has made no significant growth. Can you explain to the community why you feel you deserve re-election as a major part of the community leadership, given these perceived shortcomings? What policy changes within PSI are you responsible for and proud of? Your dedication and ethic is, of course, unparalleled, and a valuable asset to everyone.

[inkera]

I'm unsure where you have collected your attendance reports from but stating the last 4 of 6 PSi events have been poorly attended is not entirely true.

The last 2 WOWps events were very well attended. Columbus did a great job with both years.

Please take time to consider the fact that Charlotte was given iWPS in August of 2010 for an event that occurred in Dec. That means we had 3.5 months to pull the event off. The host city worked hard to make the event enjoyable for all involved. It was heartbreaking to see PSi lose money but at the end of the day, the Charlotte host city is honored that we were able to help ensure the event happened and that the people who did attend enjoyed themselves.

We have already identified that there were numerous roadblocks in Cleveland. We know that the event was not well attended. There were a number of things that the host city could have done differently. We learn from our shortfalls.

I am part of a team on the EC. Which means I don't change or create policy alone. That is the beauty of the EC, we realize that there is no "I" in team. Every decision made doesn't mean we will all agree with them, but what it does mean is that we continue to work toward betterment for the organization.

I "deserve" to be re-elected not b/c I have done any one thing. It is the collective giving of my time, my willingness to ask the hard questions, to fight for the poetry family, to help create policy that ties into the overall good of all poetry communities, & the realization that whether I'm in the trenches or in a position of power, the work is just as important.

Hope this answers your questions.

[Scott Woods]

Hi Inkera,

Glad to see you running!

A few questions:

During your term as a member of the EC, four of the last six major tournaments had very poor attendance, including the last two iWPS and WoWPS events, and in the cultural consciousness, poetry slam has made no significant growth. Can you explain to the community why you feel you deserve re-election as a major part of the community leadership, given these perceived shortcomings? What policy changes within PSI are you responsible for and proud of? Your dedication and ethic is, of course, unparalleled, and a valuable asset to everyone.

As I have stated elsewhere, I have no idea where you are getting this impression as regards WOW. Inkera explains the shortcomings of the last two iWPS fine but I have to take STRONG exception with any perception that suggests WOW loses money.

WOW has grown every year since its inception, not just in terms of audience but profit as well. The last two WOWs in Columbus were both profitable, and 2011 exceeded 2010 signficantly on both counts. If there is a problem here it is only that PSi has not trumpted loudly enough the success of this event from day one.

You are flat-out misinformed on this count, Alvin.

[karen_g]

Sharing a region with Inkera, I can vouch for her organizational prowess, her willingness to re-direct if she doesn't have an answer (& knowing who to re-direct toward), and her absolute love and enthusiasm for hard work to produce enjoyable experiences that reflect well on her scene.
I think a lot of us on the outside didn't realize the extent to which Charlotte could bear the burden of putting on a nationals-level event on only a few-months notice.She has said elsewhere that Charlotte runs poetry like a business, I would say that they run like many of us wish we could in terms of providing both for visiting poets as well as locally. That alone would be commendable, beside their contributions in terms of hosting nationals-level events both with advance planning and without.
They also run things like family, of which Inkera is the matriarch.
She wouldn't say that of herself,but I will ;-)

[randomcelestial]

No, Scott, the problem is that PSI doesn't genuinely have many great successes to speak of, and that's why so many people are running for EC this year.

[AmyD]

Inkera, can you share some of your ideas/goals for the future? I know you're in a slightly different position from the people running for the first time, but I'd like to know what your priorities are.

[Scott Woods]

No, Scott, the problem is that PSI doesn't genuinely have many great successes to speak of, and that's why so many people are running for EC this year.

Inkera for 2012.

[karen_g]

No, Scott, the problem is that PSI doesn't genuinely have many great successes to speak of, and that's why so many people are running for EC this year.

Inkera for 2012.

You said it! ;-)