For the past 18 years, Dennis ‘dePoet’ DeLoach has provided a vital platform through Spoken Word, Art and Music (S.W.A.A.M.), bringing together a diverse community of artists, poets, writers, and creatives to explore and express the depth, beauty, and complexity of the human spirit.
S.W.A.A.M. found its perfect home at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center in Leimert Park, the heart of Los Angeles’ Black cultural community. More than a showcase for artistic expression, S.W.A.A.M. is committed to keeping the written and spoken word alive. At a time when social media and digital communication increasingly challenge literacy and sustained reading, S.W.A.A.M. encourages people to write, read, listen, and engage with the power of language.
An author of three books, Dennis ‘dePoet’ DeLoach came of age in Northern California during the height of the Black Arts Movement (BAM) in the late 1960s and 1970s. BAM was a cultural wildfire, igniting a national literary cause célèbres with many poets calling for change during those turbulent years as they elevated the African tradition of oral storytelling.
Consequently, the spirit of self-expression became a way of life for Deloach. But he also wanted to share his creative endeavor with other artists. “S.W.A.A.M is where poets, musicians, storytellers, and visionaries step forward with courage to give voice to what often lives quietly within,” said DeLoach who is known for using a unique poetic style he calls a “spoem” – combining songs with poems. His latest CD’s is titled “Love Beyond Doubt.”
Past guest performers feel this space is a heartbeat of true expression, an open invitation to be seen and hon their artistry.
“S.W.A.A.M is important because it is grassroots,” said guest poet King Kong Louie whose
spoken word poems are streaming. “It will always take you back to what you need to remember about where you came from. S.W.A.A.M, baby, mind elevation.”
and Complicated Passions aka Samuel Rain Benjamin, the current Kern County Poet Laureate
for 2024–2026
Each performer brings something raw, honest, and deeply human to the stage, creating a living tapestry of creativity, inspiration, and connection – a cultural village. But vulgarity isn’t allowed.
“S.W.A.A.M is so important in preserving so much beauty, art and culture,” said a former guest author and poet Thea Monyee. And the legacy continues. “We’ve been in Leimert Park for the past two years, holding it down to provide space for artists, poets, singers, and writers,” said Lorenzo Frank, who describes himself as the “host of the legendary S.W.A.A.M – in little Africa town, a cultural hub in Los Angeles.”
“We started S.W.A.A.M in 2008. Next year in June will be our 19th anniversary. We’ve been in six venues over the years. Every venue has been Black-owned,” said Frank.
But Frank also has an extensive background as a host, spoken-word poet, and writer who sees his contribution to the local Black arts scene as a form of activism. He was a member of the spoken-word theatrical performance, “The Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology,” which was nominated for eight NAACP Theatre Awards. The production has been adapted into an album titled “Poets’ Jazz House Vol. 2 Brooklyn.”
The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center is located at 4305 Degnan Blvd in Los Angeles. S.W.A.A.M. holds shows every first and third Friday, offering Open Mic to celebrated guest poets as well as emerging writers. There is also a live band to provide
impromptu beats for the poets, a wine bar, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and VIP Tables with bottle service.
Admission is $15. Early arrivals are charged $10 before 8:30 pm, or those with a valid student I.D. card. For more information, visit www.depoet.info/S.W.A.A.M or to join the show’s streaming service.
