# Safia Elhillo and Tony Keith Jr.: Poetry Unlocks Us

What can poetry unlock within yourself? Samira in Safia Elhillo’s “Bright Red Fruit” encounters a threat to her reputation, but her discovery of slam poetry helps her navigate identity, authenticity, and community. In his memoir “How the Boogeyman Became a Poet,” Tony Keith Jr. explores the pitfalls and freedom of accepting his identity, his self-exploration made possible by poetry. They discussed their work with Untia Bigelow at the 2024 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2024
- Runtime: 56 min
- By: Keith Jr., Tony
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/video-10290/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/video-10290?play=1)