Slam poet brings

Critically acclaimed slam poet and performer Carlos Andres Gomez, star of HBO's "Def Poetry" and Spike Lee's blockbuster film Inside Man with Denzel Washington, will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in Falstaff's as part of his "Be the Change College Tour." 

The New York City native's current campaign is an encore to last year's 50-date "Majority of One College Tour," which culminated in him being a headline performer at Central Park SummerStage and opening the Campus Progress National Conference in Washington, D.C.

A former social worker and public school teacher, Gomez first made a name for himself by winning at the Apollo Theater's infamous "Amateur Night" and later as a member of the renowned Nuyorican Poets Caf 's slam team. In 2008, he collaborated with Tony Award-winning tap dance legend Savion Glover on Broadway.

"It's amazing to connect with such diverse audiences along this journey," says Gomez, "from a working-class neighborhood in San Antonio to a rural town in Missouri to the beach breezes of Miami to a theater on Broadway. It's the ultimate testament to creativity bringing people together, building a new vision for our world. This is why I do art."

The tour's title, taken from a famous quote by Mohandas Gandhi, encourages each person to embody the change s/he seeks in the world.

As Gomez states, "It's not that one person can make a difference, each one of us on this earth does make a difference-for better or for worse. The only question is: which one will you be?"

The event will consist of a full performance set by the artist followed by a book signing and photo opportunity for audience members. Admission is free. Skidmore's Hip Hop Alliance is sponsoring the program.