We The People

Amsterdam based cultural platform We The People returns to Parallel to quench your poetic thirst and fulfill your poetic appetite. Join us for a night of spoken word poetry and (live) music, as well an open mic for visitors. With performances by Asmae Amaddaou, Eauxby, Karpachii, Willie Oeba and Zaïre Krieger, and a DJ set by Kinnari.

Visitors can register between May 22 and 29 to be considered for the open mic slot on the night. For more information and registration, click here.

This event is hosted in English, yet performance languages vary. This venue is wheelchair accessible.

We The People is a cultural and creative platform based in Amsterdam. We create and host arts & culture events for the love of community. Our first and most recurring event is We The People Poetry Night. For more updates, follow We The People on Instagram.

Line-up

Kinnari Asmae Amaddaou Asmae Amaddaou (Gouda, 2001) is a writer, poet and spoken word artist. She graduated from the art academy in Utrecht. Last year she was selected for the Slow Writing Lab, and created a trilogy about power with literary organization Mooie Woorden. Previously she has performed on the stages of Lowlands, Paradiso, Nationale Opera en Ballet and het Koninklijke Schouwburg. She made her TV debut with the Vrouwejaars Conference. She signed with De Bezige Bij for her debut poetry collection and can’t wait to share her little words with the big world. Eauxby Eauxby is a videographer, photographer, musician and spoken word artist with Congolese roots. His work lives on the intersection of image and sound, of feeling and thought – where social themes and and human emotions meet. He looks for that which unites us, that which is often left unspoken but touches on a deeper level. The echoes of his roots reverberate through everything he creates, like a subtle yet sharp gaze upon the western influence on the global South. Art isn't just an expression for Eauxby, it's a form of resistance, a way to do right by the stories that should be heard. Zaïre Krieger Zaïre Krieger is an award-winning Spoken Word Artist (Spoken Award 2019) who performed at the Van Gogh Museum and TEDxAmsterdamWomen among many others. She has a degree in International & European Law, was a journalist at various platforms such as Dipsaus, Oneworld de VARAGids and Vice NL. In 2020 she translated Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem 'The Hill we Climb’. In 2020 she was co-organizer of the Black Lives Matter protests in Rotterdam. Karpachii Karpachii is the artistic alias of Michael Wanga, a multidisciplinary performer and musician based in the Netherlands. As part of the new generation of Afro-Caribbean diaspora descendants, Michael seeks a connection with his ancestors through rhythm and spirituality. His performances often involve an excavation of instruments, voice, and movement to uncover his own roots. For instance, his solo performance "Den Mi Wesu" (meaning "in my bones" in Papiamentu) is a deep dive into the origins of spiritual experience and how rhythmic expressions amplify it. In this work, he explores the pure essence of rhythm in both music and movement, prioritizing instinctive movement over specific dance styles. Willie Oeba Willie Oeba is an urban wordsmith that creates powerful poetic pieces that give voice to individuals and help them tell their most powerful stories through spoken word poetry. He has captivated wide-ranging audiences and peers alike with his phenomenal wordplay incorporating witty puns, deep metaphors, and brutally honest observations and perceptions of Kenyan life whilst still using his poetic gift to educate young people about human rights, gender mainstreaming and other life issues that we all face. His works around poetry for social change has earned him a win as the Human Rights Defender of the year 2021.

To help keep Parallel a safe and respectful space where people feel free to be their entire selves, please familiarise yourself with the House Rules prior to your arrival.