2020 CUPSI Team
2020 CUPSI Team at Grand Slam. From left to right: Jessi-Alex Brandon, Natalie Kaplan, Zoe Berkovitz, Anna Svercl Hetzer, Lenny Prater, Oliver Schminkey, and James Hartzer in the foreground middle.

by James Hartzer ’20

Looking back on MacSlams’ year in review, we are overjoyed to have been able to put on the slams we did, and hold physical spaces while we were able. We had a number of new members join, with a mixture of incoming first years along with older students who finally had time in their busy schedules to spend with us! We brought a number of fantastic features to our slams, from all over, and loved seeing everyone who came out, performed, and supported!

As per usual, we formed our 2020 CUPSI team at our Grand Slam in December, with a mixture of new first years, new seniors, and senior returners. We were thrilled to begin our season in preparation for competition at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. The team had wonderful experiences together, and is greatly saddened by the inability to perform together on a national stage. However, MacSlams is eleven years strong, and looks forward to bringing you more slam poets this coming school year! If we can be together in person that would be amazing, but we are getting the hang of zoom slams and we’ll be sure to see you in the Fall.

Alice Asch is continuing her role as co-chair, with rising Sophomore Anna Svercl Hetzer joining her. We are so excited to see what they bring to the 2020-2021 school year, and we say congratulations and goodbye to our graduating co chairs, Zoe Berkovitz and James Hartzer.

James Hartzer '20Zoe Berkovitz '20