Ruhama Solomon ’24 is a spoken word poet who shares their poetry around campus. Recently, her work has been featured in “UPRISING V: Perception of Self,” an art exhibit and online publication. Solomon has also organized the upcoming event The Black Effect, a night featuring Black poets and performers. The event has been postponed until later in the semester.
The Messenger interviewed Solomon to learn more about how they became interested in poetry and more about the inspiration behind her work. The interview appears below and has been edited for length and clarity.
When did you first get into poetry?
Solomon: I never thought of myself as one who would write poetry or a poet in general. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school, in the spring trimester when COVID hit, and we couldn’t go [to school] in-person. It was in the midst of George Floyd’s death — May, that era. I just started writing words in my notes app on my phone and I was like ‘ooh rhymes.’ I would just write a few stanzas and then I was like ‘I like this. I’m going to post this on my Facebook.’
One thing led to another, and two alumni from Apple Valley High School […] hit me up on Snapchat and got my number. ‘We are doing a peaceful protest at Apple Valley City Hall and we think you should recite your poetry there.’ I was like ‘recite my what?’.
I started doing Black Ensemble right when I got there [St. Olaf]. I reached out to them through Instagram and I was like ‘I would like to do this with someone, this is like a duet spoken word.’ They were like ‘Oh my gosh, awesome. We are going to get you in touch with Ezra Carter.’ Then Ezra and I met and we recited it at the Breonna Taylor sit-in that fall. It was crazy because no one knew who I was. That’s how I got involved with Black Ensemble and spread my poetry further through my new school, St. Olaf. The rest is history.
A lot of people tend to be more private about their poetry. What led you to share yours on Facebook?
Solomon: Honestly, it was such a long draft that I kept revising and when I posted it on social media, I put a little GIF that would cover my name, because if I’m going to recite this at a peaceful protest in the future, [it was] just for my own safety. These were fresh protests at the time. I didn’t want my name to be out there really quick and to the point of 12 — the police — getting to me. So, I was like this is as safe as it’s going to be. My name is already the user, so I might as well [post it]. And I didn’t have that many friends on Facebook at the time. COVID and George Floyd’s death really motivated me — I was so isolated and then I just let all my feelings out. It was a matter of full-sending cautiously.
So poetry has been an escape to you?
Solomon: Yeah. I didn’t think writing it would be an escape, but reading it has always been a fun time. As a child, I loved reading Langston Hughes. I also really liked Robert Frost for some reason, but he’s a king. Maya Angelou I got into especially when I started writing repeatedly. It is an escape.
Tell me more about the themes of your poetry.
Solomon: “My Name, My Voice (Hands Up)” was the very first poem I read to the public and was the one I wrote in high school. It had everything to do with my identity. At that point I was so distraught because [in] the Ethiopian tradition — especially in the older generations — we don’t call ourselves Black. We call ourselves Ethiopian or Habesha because being Black has a negative connotation to it. Having to battle that a lot of my childhood and also realizing hey, we’re Black the whole time. It’s the identity crisis that is the core of my poetry as a whole. The protest and this poem specifically, just motivated me so much more to write about Black joy, why I am Black, and prove myself. In a very simple way, it was to just prove that I’m Black, I’ve always been Black, and I will forever be proud to be Black.
What is your favorite part of the creative process?
Solomon: There is just something about performing that gets me amped up. Performing is something I’ve already known a good amount of my young life just doing theater and singing. Performing it is the most exciting because people aren’t going to expect what you got until you just do it for them.
What are you currently working on?
Solomon: I’ve been wanting to get more involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at school. So I got in contact with the homies, Tesfa [Wondemagegnehu], Brandon Cash ’16, María Pabón [Gautier]. I am hosting an event called The Black Effect. The core of it is spoken word poetry, but also other performing arts — it’s a showcase. That’s what I have been working on since our J-term, besides UPRISING.
I just felt compelled to do it out of the goodness of my soul. I want to expose other poets. There are so many people who write on this campus, it’s kind of crazy. I want to expose other Black artists. These are the hidden gems, the people you don’t get to see. I’m all about it. I’m so ready.
