The Power of Spoken Word

By: Marcel “Fable The Poet” Price

I am a poet, teaching artist, and a full-time creative who inspires the, individuals of tomorrow, today. But what does that even mean?

In a nutshell I use my stories, along with poetry, as a catalyst to get students to unpack stressors that they have been harboring or have bottled up.

I speak at assemblies (Grades 5-12) and perform at universities and colleges all across the country. I workshop with people by helping them, through the use of creative writing, to bring their experiences to light by enabling them to develop something tangible and concrete.

Something they can feel, see, and hold.

I grew up in a home where substance abuse and domestic violence were common, while struggling with my diagnoses of bipolar, anxiety, and depression.

Juggling all of these issues caused feelings of displacement and when you add being a person of color on top of this trauma, the best way to describe how I felt was…full.

I always carried a feeling of being under attack, while simultaneously pretending that none of it was affecting me, ultimately refusing to bring it all to light.

Until spoken word became my outlet, a life preserver, and a catalyst for more than I could ever imagine.

When you are growing up black and lower class, you are made to feel as if you don’t matter. But maybe that is the issue.

Maybe that is why mental health is such an issue in our community and with individuals of color in general?

Because we are constantly facing issues (both systematic and concrete) and are taught that we have more important battles to fight.

But how can we fight the larger issues if we aren’t taking care of our strongest weapons - our minds?

I published my first book, “Adrift in a Sea of M&Ms,” to help individuals battling with mental wellness, and the stressors that come along with being a person of color in America.

I did this because I wanted to help young people who grew up feeling the same way that I did, show them that they are not alone, and encourage them to vocalize their experiences.

To celebrate who they are, inside and out, not only during the month of July during Minority Mental Health Month, but to cherish themselves year-round, ignoring the “Standards” and “Norms” society tries to use as a foundation, which are often constructed without them in mind.

Marcel "Fable the Poet" Price is a bi-racial North American writer, teacher, community activist, performer, motivational speaker, and is the second-place winner of: "The 2016 Missouri Review Audio Poetry Contest.

Fable the Poet is a nationally touring artist highly noted for his work with youth; spreading mental health awareness using his own stories to consume the audience, and spread a much needed message: "At times, we all feel fragile. We are all paper boats entertaining the waves of life."

He is an official partner of Mental Health America, and has sat on panels across the country discussing the importance of mental health awareness with our youth. He is known across the nation for crowd-interactive features that leave those attending enlightened and empowered.

To learn more about Fable the Poet and his work check out the following video