Ayanna Florence 
Ayanna Florence, Photo by
“Moonchild: An Exploration of Emotional Vulnerability” is a one-woman spoken word focused production that investigates the black woman’s experience with emotional vulnerability and its impact on self and the world. A moonchild can be defined as a highly sensitive individual with strong, often unpredictable emotions and powerful intuition. As a black woman, this can often feel in direct opposition to society’s expectations or assumptions of us. Black women are expected to be strong and put together at all times, ironically in a world built to tear us down. Any moments of emotional vulnerability are seen as a sign of weakness, both within our own community and outside of it.
“Moonchild” explores this dichotomy and unpacks the necessity of emotional vulnerability for the black woman, and its importance in healing and ultimately, freedom. The show addresses themes such as: mental health, generational trauma, black family dynamics, and the upliftment and empowerment of black women. “Moonchild” aims to lay the foundation for conversations about black women being allowed to scream, cry, laugh, and express however they feel without being demonized or belittled; without feeling lesser of themselves. “Moonchild” seeks to showcase how much strength, power, and peace can be found in the emotional depths of self.
Ayanna Florence is a poet, creative, and teaching artist originally from Chesapeake, VA and currently residing in Charlotte, NC. She is a Brave New Voices alum, a Southern Fried Poetry Slam finalist, and has been performing spoken word across the country since 16 years old. Ayanna is the 2023 Slam Charlotte Grand Slam champion, the current North Carolina Regional Slam champion, a 2023 Queen of the South slam champion, and the 2023 Women of the World Poetry Slam champion.
As a queer black woman, Ayanna exists on the fringes and outside the box, and her artistry reflects this reality. She believes that living outside of the margins is an inherently revolutionary act that gives her a unique perspective on life and the human experience. Ayanna prides herself in creating work that is thought-provoking, emotion-evoking, and fearless. In both performance and prose, her artistry is raw, powerful, and addresses themes such as mental health, black family dynamics, and the queer black femme experience. She is passionate about using her poetry as a method of healing for herself and others.
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Showing at: Birdsong Brewing Co. (1016 North Davidson St.)
Show Time:
Wednesday, June 14, 6:30 – 7:15pm