SPOKANE, Wash. — One woman hopes to inspire change by giving a voice to people of color in Spokane through poetry.
Bethany Montgomery has a story of passion, activism, and hope for the future. She is a founding member of a movement called Power 2 The Poetry.
“We just went to the streets and started performing poetry in public. I had a Black Lives Matter piece back in 2018. I would just pull up to places and say “black lives matter” and people would stop and listen. We would have great conversations,” shared Bethany Montgomery.
That is how it all started.
Poetry wasn't part of Montgomery's life until she underwent open-heart surgery. After that experience, she said expressing herself through words became her passion.
“Our movement was created to start crucial conversations,” said Montgomery.
Power 2 The Poetry aims to build a community around fostering a climate of culture, diversity, and inclusion.
“The reason why we have so much hate and division is because of the lack of love. If we all just start with us we can change the world. People think ‘oh my gosh’ we have to change the world but that starts with changing who you are,” she said.
Montgomery brings this message around Spokane to schools and corporate events, she even gave a TED Talk.
“Kids deserve to be heard so when you have that role model saying use your voice that is really positive,” Grace June, who has visited schools with Montgomery, said. June is a local photographer who collaborates with Montgomery often. Their most recent project was dedicated to George Floyd in a series called “We Hear You”. Montgomery wrote a poem in response to June’s photos called “Can I Breathe.”
“Can I breathe? That is what I am asking America as a black individual in this country because we have seen so many examples where that might not have been the case,” Montgomery said.
Both June and Montgomery are currently working on a book of poetry and photography. Together they are focusing on bringing the realities to light and helping to address the disparities in Spokane by creating opportunities for positive and necessary change while inspiring others to do the same.
“It’s about community and relationships and understanding that we are interdependent and really truly need each other," Montgomery said.