UnCommons, Southwest Las Vegas’ new 40-acre modern workplace and stylized mixed-use community is hosting a Juneteenth celebration with live poetry from Las Vegas poets from 7 to 9 p.m. on June 16.
The Juneteenth celebration will feature Poetry and Community in The Quad. Hosted by Afro-Latina artist Ms. AyeVee, the evening will feature award-winning poets Rodney J. Lee, Petit Monstre, and Vanessa Williams, who will take attendees on a beautiful journey through the black experience into the celebration of self and culture.
“At UnCommons, we believe in the power of shared experiences and the positive impact they can have on our local community,” said Amalie Zinsser, director of community and belonging at UnCommons.
Lee is a poet, photographer, and educator living, writing, and performing in Las Vegas for more than 35 years. He is a former airman, construction worker, casino employee, teacher and district-level administrator in the Clark County School District. He is known for his wide-ranging perspectives on the Vegas community, dynamic readings, and unique poems.
Monstre is an award-winning photographer and poet from Las Vegas. He prides himself on pushing the boundaries of conventional poetry by showing the beauty in the subtle and often overlooked. In 2021, Monstre was published in the Beyond the Neon Anthology, Vol. 1 by Zeitgeist Press, and in 2022, he released his first book of photography, Oh Those Feels.
Williams, also known as Poetic V, is a California-raised, Las Vegas-living poet, teacher, spoken word artist, and author. Her passion is to inspire the world with her writings, ignite nations with her voice and illustrate the power of healing through writing. Poetic V has competed in and won the Las Vegas “Beyond the Neon Poetry Slam,” “Spotlight Poetry Slam” and “Spit Your Truth” poetry competition. She has been featured in the Beyond the Neon Anthology, Spotlight Poetry Young, Gifted & Black Anthology, and recently wrote and published her first poetry book, Poetically Affirmed. Poetic V has had the privilege of being a featured artist at the Las Vegas Book Festival, Miss Nevada African Pageant, Utah Arts Festival, and DWE World Tour in Austin, Texas during the South by Southwest festival and was a presenter in TEDx Talk in October 2022.
More information about “Poetry and Community” and tickets can be found here.
UnCommons, 6880 Helen Toland Str., will present “Summer Melodies” in The Quad, UnCommons’ central courtyard for gathering. This recurring weekend event will offer magical moments inspired by the power of music through performances from local artists.
The events will aim to foster connection, creativity, and community spirit, including live music from local musicians on Fridays and Saturdays.
“Through these events, we invite residents and visitors of all ages to come together, explore various interests, and build meaningful connections,” said Zinsser.
This free-to-attend event will be held every Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. starting June 16 through the month of August. Musical talent will be announced each week on UnCommons’ Instagram page at @UnCommons.LV. More information about “Summer Melodies” can be found here. Find more information at www.UnCommons.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.