In honor of Black History Month, members of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, with support from the Black Student Alliance and the National Society of Black Engineers, will host an event titled “Small Talk at 15th and Sage” on Friday, Feb. 13. The event will be held in the Rensselaer Union McNeil Room from 5 to 8 p.m. The program will feature special guest J. Ivy, a Grammy Award-winning performance poet, author, and motivational speaker.
J. Ivy says he had big dreams for his future but never imagined that it would include a Grammy Award and the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of Deepak Chopra, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Gil Scott, and countless others.
When it comes to the art of hip-hop poetry, J. Ivy is considered a visionary, a pioneer, and trendsetter whose talents cross artistic lines to deliver the art of poetry and spoken word directly to mainstream music and television. As a native Chicagoan, J. Ivy says he had big dreams for his future but never imagined that it would include a Grammy Award and the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of Deepak Chopra, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Gil Scott, and countless others.
The event will also feature free coffee and live music by the Rensselaer Jazz Ensemble, along with an open mike opportunity for any member of the Rensselaer campus or community who wants to participate.