The Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) will host screenings of the groundbreaking independent film SLAM on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM CT. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Marc Levin, the film explores the power of spoken word poetry and the fight for justice in America.

SLAM, first released in 1998, follows Raymond Joshua, a young Black performance poet in Washington, D.C., who is imprisoned on a minor marijuana charge. Inside prison, Raymond uses his voice as a tool for survival and self-liberation, guided by a prison writing teacher, Lauren Bell, and shaped by encounters with a prison gang leader. The film examines systemic racial inequities within the criminal justice system while highlighting the transformative role of creative expression.

The film’s cinéma vérité style provides an unflinching, poetic perspective on incarceration, identity, and resilience. It won the Grand Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival and continues to influence discussions around art, activism, and social justice.

For Houston audiences, the HMAAC screening offers a chance to engage with the intersection of art and activism, reflecting the museum’s mission to amplify African American stories that shape both history and the future.

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Screenings: 12:00 PM CT & 2:00 PM CT
Location: Houston Museum of African American Culture, 4807 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77004
RSVP: https://hmaac.org/

Key Film Information:

• Director: Marc Levin
• Stars: Saul Williams, Sonja Sohn, Bonz Malone
• Year: 1998
• Genre: Independent Drama, Cinéma Vérité
• Awards: Grand Jury Prize – Sundance Film Festival

In an era where conversations about mass incarceration, racial justice, and cultural identity remain urgent, SLAM continues to serve as a cinematic anthem. HMAAC’s screenings provide audiences an opportunity to witness how poetry and creativity can illuminate pathways to freedom, healing, and resistance.

Houston Style Magazine readers this weekend, Houston audiences will not only watch a film but also step into a living dialogue between history and present struggles. SLAM at HMAAC is a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the transformative power of voice.