Rabiyatu Jalloh is a senior majoring in African-American Studies and Education/Public Policy. Her passion in her writing about social justice and oppression has given her a platform in the Penn State community.
After started to write excessively in middle school, Jalloh discovered her passion for poetry because of Russell Simmons’s “Def Jam,” a spoken word television series. In “Def Jam,” Simmons would bring local poets to perform. Many modern celebrities were on the show such as Kanye West or Erykah Badu.
One poem that resonated with her was by a poet named Sunni Patterson from New Orleans. Her poem was about Hurricane Katrina called “We Made It,” and it was the first piece of work that resonated with her. I would find out the title of the poem. Later in journey, she read her poetry to a family member and they told her it wasn’t good. She stopped writing until she entered college.
In her freshman year at Penn State, Jalloh met a girl named Indigo. They shared their poetry together; they wrote and shared their personal stories. Indigo told Jalloh her poetry is beautiful and to never stop writing. Jalloh wrote about her issues as a black woman and anger. She used poetry to make her anger useful.
At the end of the slam, performers waited to hear their name for the announcement of the CUPSI Team. (Photo by Sydni Jean)Jalloh continued to write and became a part of an organization called Writers Organized to Represent Diverse Stories, or W.O.R.D.S. W.O.R.D.S helped Jalloh grow as a writer and a poet.
W.O.R.D.S has brought her into a community with artistic people and given her the opportunity to go to competitions for her poetry. She has been able to work with teams and improve her professional development and collaboration skills.
Hearing others and the way they write helps formulate how Jalloh wants to write. She has learned to use the experiences in her life and language to speak and create images about racial and gender issues deeper. Jalloh doesn’t tell the story; she tells her story.
She is planning to get her Ph.D. or a M.F.A in Poetry in the future. Poetry has given her a huge platform and spotlight here on Penn State’s campus.
Video: Creativity Means Patience
Rabiyatu Jalloh shares a sneak peek into the procees and content of a new poem.