Come on Ride the Soultero Train!

Spop 3 was fanastic! I was a returner for Wes and it was so much fun! I got to relax and just kick it, helping Wes, and getting close to the spoppers. Our staff included: Angie Mendez, Cat Pham, Jason Keh, Chris Cialeo, and Wes (CP). I must admit that I was a bit nervous because I wasn't sure about how we would all click, but Cat brought the energy and fun, JK brought the stories, Cialeo dropped knowledge, and Angie brought the heart. Together we became a functioning SOUL within Otero. The spoppers were quiet, but when we did the touch game, boy! did my assumptions get squashed!

I wasn't sure if the spoppers were feeling SPOP because of the long days and the, not gonna lie, kinda overbearing staffers. But everyone said that they had a great time. Garrison even said that he was supposed to go to Australia instead of SPOP, but quickly realized that SPOP was definitely more fun and worthit because he gets to spend the next four years with the people in the hall. How amazing is that?! It's so inspiring to know that we are doing it right. The spoppers truly bring the SOUL into every spop. We just facilitate and hope that we can move one person to take that step.

Wes definitely gave that to me. He and I sat in the RA room while the dance party was going on and he was writing a piece for spoken word. When he read it to me it moved me to write. His soul poured into words moved mine and I needed to channel that same spirit into poetry. The art isnt about the words that come out; it's about the exchange of the SPIRIT.

For example, Wes and Angie never believed in Levitation. When we levitated Garrison, they believed and were awed. Honestly, it's solely the power of belief. It's the trust in others to do their part and the trust in yourself to do yours.

So I felt that I needed to represent the otherside to Wes' poem by writing it from the other person's perspective. He wrote about how he, as a man, can't let go of his pride to chase his girl. No matter how much he loves her, he will let her go, because she is showing him that she wants to go. I argue that women leave because she wants to know that she is greater than pride. I had the same argument with Calvin earlier that night so I was fresh on my mind and heart.

If I learned anything from this group of people, it is that love, spirit, soul, doesn't have to be seen with extravagence because it is invisible, yet very real and very powerful. We all have that power. All we have to do is BELIEVE IN THE SOUL and mountains will be MOVED!