For African American Heritage Month, Malik Yusef talked to Eastern about racism and writing during the cultural arts Poetry Slam.

Yusef is a poet and musician and has worked with many famous names such as Kanye West, Adam Levine, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend and Commons.

Yusef said he is inspired to write by everything in his life.

“No matter what you do, be enlightened by it,” Yusef said to the crowd during his performance.

He also talked about Black History month and the problem of racism.

“Racism only works in one direction, down,” Yusef said.

Cynthia Libby, a sophomore family and consumer sciences major, said she came out to listen the students perform.

“(I) came out tonight because I thought it was a good chance to hear talented writers and their opinions on matters, such as black history month,” Libby said.

Libby said she was impressed the University Board and the Black Student Union were able to bring Yusef to campus.

“He’s a really talented man, who has come a far way and accomplished a lot,” Libby said.

The University Board and the Black Student Union hosted the slam. Many came out to recite poems they had written and to listen to poems by their peers.

Dominique Jones, a senior applied engineering and technology major, performed two poems titled “Frozen History” and “Dressed in all Black.”

“My poem ‘Frozen History’ was written about five days ago, and my inspiration was really just black history month,” Jones said.

She said her inspiration for “Dressed in all Black” came from her hometown of Chicago.

“I always heard about violence which inspired me, and the boy who was murdered at Fenger High School,” she said.

Jones has been writing for about a year, and she was encouraged to write by friends.

Amanda Walsh can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction Feb, 16, 2011:

The high school Jones spoke about was incorrectly identified as Finger High School. The correct name is Finger High School.