WHO WE ARE: tell your story, change your world

WHO WE ARE: tell your story, change your world

I am Sathmi Liyanage and the founder of the nonprofit organization WHO WE ARE. Our mission is to empower historically underrepresented communities through amplifying their voices; we provide a platform that enables individuals from these communities to share their stories on a global scale. Through this platform, we aim to foster inclusivity, representation, and
understanding, ultimately contributing to positive social change.
Our platform provides a space where changemakers from around the world can participate in poetry slams and open mics. These events allow participants to share their stories, whether it be reciting a story, singing a song, or spoken poetry form.
The main medium present for poetry slams is spoken word.

Spoken word is a powerful form of poetry, hence the word “slam”, where performers are able to add feeling to their piece, thereby
making the poem greatly impactful. Changes in speed, tone, volume, accent, and facial expression all contribute to the reception and message of the piece. It is often used for poems regarding social change because of its power to raise awareness about the need for change.

This is a new form of expression for Sri Lanka, and WHO WE ARE aims to utilize it in order to increase representation of its communities.
Our main goal is to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities, so that change can be created for these people whose voices are often ignored. After submitting your piece to these competitions, your work will be published and seen throughout the world; this ultimately raises  awareness for your cause, thus instigating a positive change for you and your community.

There are three different age categories: 13 years and under, and 14-18 years. The time limit for these videos are 3 minutes. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the winners, as well as recognition on our platform. Please consider submitting a piece to create a change for your community.

We are offering an opportunity for you to share your voice with the world, Sri Lanka! We would love to hear your poetry, stories, songs, speeches, monologues, etc in video or audio format (English) for our online showcase, SRI LANKA SPEAKS. There will be a judging panel and prizes will be offered. Please send your submissions and any questions to info@tellthemwhoweare.org.

Let’s tell them who we are!