(2.3.17) By Lindsey Smith – Popular slam poet and Detroit native Natasha “T” Miller made an appearance in Buck’s Café at Morningside College on Thursday. Miller performed a variety of poems ranging in topic from her brother’s death to the treatment of black lesbians in society to Black Lives Matter and even her ex.
Miller is an LGBTQ+ activist, lesbian, and slam poet who is currently on a tour around the country, speaking to colleges, churches, elementary schools, and various other locations about what she finds important and problematic in today’s society.
After her brother’s death three years ago, which was the reason for the tour, Miller struggled with depression and didn’t feel like she was allowed to mourn her brother partly because he was a drug dealer.
As she explains in one of her poems, “They say you shouldn’t mourn a drug dealer’s death… you can’t humanize the drug dealer.”
Miller is also very proud of her hometown of Detroit, described in one of her poems as “Home is wherever the most of your loved ones were buried.”
She also pointed out the problems associated with black lesbians, described by outsiders as “black women trying to look like black men.” These women are often persecuted, “wearing a quiet death as a cologne.”
Miller was in the military for six years before attending community college for two years on a full ride scholarship for basketball. After discovering she didn’t want to play basketball and lost her scholarship, she found the world of slam poetry. She loved the competitive nature of the slam poetry world and how they treated her as a person.
“For me, slam was more of a welcoming community,” said Miller.
Miller reads psychology books in her free time to get a better understanding of all people and to create a sense of empathy towards people she doesn’t quite see eye to eye with. She also hopes to go back to college now that she has a well-established career.
Miller ended her performance by thanking everyone for coming to the show, offering free hugs to anyone who wanted to stay after the show.
Miller can be found on Facebook at T Miller, on Twitter @Tmillerpoetry, and on Instagram at natashatmiller.
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