Deborah Marie is a poet who works at the intersection of art and public health.

By day, she’s an advocate, focused on quelling substance abuse by assisting people with recovery and prevention. By night, she’s a multi-talented creative and the founder of the Can I Get A Witness? event series.

Just like any other open mic event, Can I Get A Witness? creates a space for people to creatively share their poetry and testimonies. But it adds a bit of a twist, as audience members are also asked to discuss how the art makes them feel .

“After each poet,” explains Deborah Marie during a recent phone call, “we don’t just clap and move on to the next person. We open up the floor and ask questions to the audience.”

As the host, she prompts attendees to discuss what touched them, struck a chord

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