The Velvet Revolution put SF State students on the mic to showcase their poetic and written talents.

Everyone from poets, playwrights and authors were invited to sign up and share their work with an audience of about 30 people at the Poetry Center (HUM 512) at around 5 p.m. on Feb. 21.

“The Velvet Revolution is about gaining a sense of community and bringing together students,” said Britt Foster, a creative writing senior and host of the event.

The program was created by SF State students Chad Sweeney and Rose Haynes, who named it after the political revolution that occurred in Czechoslovakia in 1989.

Mako Matsuda, a graduate student in poetry, explained that the Velvet Revolution is a beneficial addition to the Creative Writing program.

“It’s a chance to showcase writers…it’s all very casual, we meet in the Poetry Center and people present their work and help themselves to some wine,” said Matsuda, who also served as a host.

The featured guests included Paige McBee, a writer and lesbian activist, and Kevin Hobson, a graduate student in creative writing.

Hobson, who moved to San Francisco from Santa Cruz, read a piece called, “Advice for the Small Towner who has Moved to the City.” He gave a vivid description of how to carry oneself and what sights to notice in San Francisco while emphasizing that one should count the number of Starbucks as well as the number of trees.

“It’s a major change moving from Santa Cruz to San Francisco,” said Hobson. “But I like it here, and I like the focus on writing and being able to share with others.”

Ten students ended up reading during the open mic session, and this included everything from poetry to Eve Gross’ “Portrait of a Lunch Man,” a description of a dork, who meticulously inspects his lunch, leaving listeners to wonder who is more intricate, the lunch man or the author who spends her time intently watching him.

“The quality and variety of work was really on par last night,” said Foster. “I am hoping we get more playwrights in, however, because there is such great work going on in that section of our [Creative Writing] department,” said Foster.

The Velvet Revolution is held every Tuesday at 5 p.m. and features an undergraduate and a graduate student while the rest of the evening is reserved for open mic.