Literary Arts had the honor of presenting the East Side Slam on March 18, 2026 at the Adrienne C. Nelson High School library for the fourth year in a row.
The East Side Slam is an opportunity for schools in East Multnomah and Clackamas County to participate in Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship. Traditionally, high schools hold their own qualifying slams for the Verselandia! championship, however, in an effort to expand participation from East County schools, the East Side Slam cohort was created.
The first and second place winners from East Side Slam advance to the Verselandia! championship, and the third-place poet becomes the calibration poet to warm up the audience and judges at the championship slam.
Six student poets and one student calibration poet from Parkrose and Nelson high schools participated in the East Side Slam competition.
Local poet and Slamlandia founder Julia Gaskill hosted the event.
Students shared their personal stories with their peers. However, only three poets can advance to the championship slam.
Winners advancing to the Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship were:
- First Place: Diana Aispuro Camacho
- Second Place: Kamelita James
- Third Place: Ahlonnah Mitchell
The event would not have been possible without the support of the following educators: Allison Ackerman, who hosted at Adrienne C. Nelson High School, and Joshua Bott and Kathryn Nock from Parkrose High School. Thank you to the judges, our host Julia Gaskill, as well as timekeepers/math assistants Alberto Sveum and Olivia Jones-Hall.
Don’t miss the championship event on April 30 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall!
