Voicing against social evils through poetry

Internationally acclaimed and award winning poet, Dr Neal Hall, a surgeon, a poet, and an activist, read his poems at Our Sacred Space. His powerful poetry immediately inspired and electrified the room. Speaking about the performance, Nayantara Nandakumar, founder, Our Sacred Space, said, “It is heartening to know that there are powerful voices like Dr Hall's in today's world, reminding us, and making us question what racial equality, and freedom really mean.

Poetry is a beautiful way to cut through and convey life affirming and life changing material.” Dr Neal Hall (78), was born and raised in Warren, Ohio. He received his medical degree from Michigan State and his ophthalmology surgical subspecialty training from Harvard University.

An internationally acclaimed award winning poet, Dr Hall has performed readings throughout the US and around the world. His poetic writings and readings bear strong witness to his passionate belief in equality and our collective rights to think, live and make harmonious decision based on our common good.

Dr Hall’s first international award winning book, Nigger For Life, reflects his painful discovery that, in unspoken America, race is the one thing by which he is first judged. Apart from Dr Hall, Mumbai-based writer and poet Rochelle Potkar shared her poetry which was centered around women's realities. Equally powerful and insightful, her poems spoke of objectification of women, and inequalities in the workspace.

Rochelle Potkar is a fiction writer and poet. Her works have appeared in several publications. Her first book, ‘The Arithmetic of Breasts and Other Stories’ was shortlisted for The Digital Book of the Year Award by Publishing Next. Her next book, ‘Dreams of Déjà vu’ is a speculative novel. She has also the co-editor of Neesah Magazine and one of the core team members of Cappucino Readings at Mumbai.