He said the poem touched him so deeply that he decided he was going to fight for his life back.
It was at that moment she realized the amazing effect poetry had. It had the ability to literally save lives.
There was no turning back from then on. She knew that saving others was what she had to do with her talents.
A few weeks later she sent a call out to poets on facebook to see who among them would be willing to sacrifice the self for the good of helping others through their talents. In 2012 the Poetry scene in NC was extremely divided and there was more competition and division than camaraderie. She was determined for it to change. A few people reached out, but once hearing the details of what flash mob poetry was, and what they would be required to do they admitted they didn’t think they could do it.
Finally...a handful of artists came together.
The original four were Shane Manier, Solomon Sasscer, Morgan DePue, and Foster Cameron Hunter.
Right off the bat breaking down barriers with their different backgrounds, ages and styles.
In the winter of 2012 only days before Christmas on a cold sleeting day they left out to do their first flash mob on the light rail in Charlotte, not knowing the outcome, but knowing that poetry should be for and with the people and they intended to give it. On the way out the door from her home in Kannapolis, with the Guerilla Poets members beside her, her Mother Carolyn Davis Manier stopped them and pleaded for them not to go. “Why would you want to do this? You could get assaulted, arrested, or worse.” Her reply was... “There are people out there hurting, and we know the arts can save them. I have to. I don’t have a choice.” Since then, Guerilla Poets have grown to see many members of various talents not only bringing poets together but artists, musicians, vocalists and even photographers.
They have continued to save, touch and change numerous lives through the arts time and time again in profound ways.
It may have started out as a flash mob, but Guerilla Poets have grown to so much more by empowering people through the arts, providing creative tailored programs for elementary children to the elderly and organizing fundraisers that have been known to raise multiple car loads worth of donations.
Amidst it all they’ve kept true to their word as remaining a camaraderie of artists not adhering to other organizations or participating in the division of competition or destruction of self glamour.
These inner truths have remained because at the core of each person who bares the Guerilla Poet name, their heart strives to do good for humanity through their talents, no matter their background, beliefs, or stance on views.
This care for each other and striving to change the world continues to be the pulse of Guerilla Poets.
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