Shannon Leigh Lewis: They Call Me Warrior
I was saddened to hear of the death earlier this month of one of Austin’s brightest slam poets, Shannon Leigh (Lewis), at the tender age of 20. Shannon was in Florida at the time of her death, swimming and diving with friends. According to the various reports I’ve read, she was experiencing some equilibrium problems and swam back to the cave entrance alone. A diving instructor from another group found her unconscious and assisted in bringing her to the surface. Shannon was taken to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida where she slipped into a coma. Shannon lingered in a coma for several days with no signs of brain activity before being removed from her respirator. Her death has rocked the tight community of slam poets who had known Shannon from the time she entered slam poetry at 14 years old.
I had the privilege to see Shannon Leigh perform two years in a row at the National Poetry Slam here in Austin. Shannon was a petite woman with a bold voice. She spoke of tough topics in an eloquent and thoughtful way. She toured the country giving voice to those who were unable to do so themselves. Victims of war, rape and poverty became real to those who heard her speak.
Shannon’s friends and admirers will be gathering at Ruta Maya next weekend to give tribute to Shannon. If you’ve never listened to slam poetry, do yourself a favor and attend. If you’re already a fan, you won’t want to miss it! Here is the flyer with more information:
Saturday, August 2nd @8pm
Ruta Maya World HQ
3601 S. Congress Ave
$10 Minimum Donation
For more information on Shannon’s death, read Michael Barnes’ article on Austin 360.
Shannon Leigh, Lewis, Austin, Tx, Slam, Poetry, Death, Diving, Scuba, Ruta Maya, Tribute
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