Page 15 - WLIS-Fall-Magazine-2023

message on Facebook Messenger asking me to return
a passage from a poem about as the next week’s poetic headliner. I was elated! I’ve
disabilities called “Dis-Able” since been asked to perform three more times at that
same venue!
I saw the Serena
that lives deep inside of me WL: What do you feel is your personal writing style?
McKeever: Most of my pieces are thought-provok-
And the Lebron ing pieces about real life that I hope others can relate
that outwardly others could not see to. I sometimes throw in a bit of comic relief to uplift
And even though my creator my audience at the same time. The poem I performed
grants me serenity at the Woman’s Life Open Mic Night was called “My
I’d ask each day Truth,” and it was my way of sharing my personal
if his list of miracles included me story. My second poem was the one that garnered
me a headline gig. It was a lighthearted piece with a
funny ending.

WL: How did you come by the stage name HeriCane?
nerve and performed a poem I wrote about domes- McKeever: The day I met Teresa at the Woman’s
tic violence. I was surprised and delighted to receive Life Open Mic Night, I was walking with my cane that
many compliments and wonderful feedback from I’m using just until my hip gets better. While brain-
other poets and attendees. storming on the phone with her a week later, we came
Now, I can safely say that the Woman’s Life Open up with the name Da Hericane. A few days later, I
Mic Night was the beginning of a new chapter of my shortened it to just HeriCane and capitalized the C.
life, supporting the Bevy Smith quote that “…it gets I plan to continue to use the same name even after I
greater later.” Woman’s Life opened a door for me no longer need my cane to represent a great poet who
that had barely been cracked for many years, and does a massively strong job of delivering the spoken
it catapulted me into the spoken-word arena that word — like a hurricane poet.
I’m still enthusiastically but patiently navigating. I
have also since joined Woman’s Life Chapter 805, WL: How does the Woman’s Life mission fit with your
and I eagerly look forward to participating in many values and goals?
more events geared toward the betterment of our McKeever: I believe in being the very best human
community. being I can be and living by the Golden Rule of treat-
ing others the way I’d like to be treated. I love helping
WL: Did your chance to speak bring more new oppor- those in need and doing whatever I can to help make
tunities? someone’s life better — or even just brightening
McKeever: It did — and I’ve been amazed! The last someone’s day with a smile or kind words. You never
stranger who approached me to bestow kudos at the know what kind of day a person is having, and the
Woman’s Life Open Mic Night gave me a huge hug effect your simple, “How’s your day going?” will have
and whispered in my ear that I have that “it,” and she on someone’s day. I try to do it at every opportunity,
asked if she could be my spoken-word mentor. I im- and I love using the person’s name to make them look
mediately jumped at the opportunity. Since that date, up at me and engage with a smile.
Teresa Stewart has consistently poured her time and Before becoming a member of Woman’s Life Chap-
wisdom into me to help me gain more confidence ter 805, I’d attended several of their events with Alecia.
in the delivery of my craft. She assures me that my She’s my best friend, and she is always there for me,
God-given writing talent was always there but that so I would always reciprocate in kind by showing
homing in on the perfect delivery often takes years up to participate in any event they were sponsoring.
of practice. When I learned more about them — especially that
Thanks to Teresa, two weeks later, I had the con- their mission is “having fun, building friendships,
fidence to perform in front of an audience for the and engaging in community outreach” — I immedi-
second time at another open mic event in downtown ately knew it was an organization I would be excited
Indianapolis. And the very next day, I received a direct and honored to be a part of.

FALL 2023 WOMANSLIFE.ORG 13