Senior steals the show at town hall

By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

When University School of Nashville's Breckyn Forcey ’26 took the stage at a packed community center in Antioch, Tennessee, she wasn’t there to perform a monologue or audition for a role (despite being Vice President of the Student Theater Guild). She was there to recite truth through her poetry. 

Her poem, “The Empire Eats Itself,” opened with the powerful line: “This is what grief looks like when it’s forced to wear red, white, and blue.” 

The audience, which had gathered for a town hall led by Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, was moved by the piece.

Breckyn’s poem was inspired by something as simple as scrolling Instagram.

“I came across an activism page,” Breckyn said. “Its most recent post showed photos of protest signs. Ones that really stuck with me said things like ‘This is not what democracy looks like’ and ‘Fight ignorance, not immigrants.’”

“That moment lit a spark in me. I started thinking about how systems fail when people become numb to injustice, and I channeled that energy into writing “The Empire Eats Itself.” Breckyn said.

It was the kind of moment young people often tuck away or share with a friend in passing. But Breckyn took a leap.

“I decided to email the poem directly to Rep. Justin Jones,” she said. “I’ve come to realize that so many of us have more access to our representatives than we think; we just don’t always know it.”

She sent the email on a Friday and just 20 minutes later, someone from Rep. Jones’ office responded. He loved it and asked if she would recite it at the town hall the next day.

Breckyn said "yes" without hesitation.

“I spoke because I felt like I had something urgent to say,” she said. “Poetry is how I process the world, and I hoped that by sharing my words, I could give voice to feelings others might also be carrying,” Breckyn said. 

Sharing a stage with two high-profile lawmakers could intimidate even the most seasoned speakers, but Breckyn brought a steady presence and a sense of clarity to the stage.

“Young people are often told that we’ll understand when we’re older, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said. “If we wait to speak up until we’re older, we may find that some of the most important conversations have already passed us by.” 

Back at USN, Breckyn is working to expand the culture of youth expression. 

In addition to her role in STG, she’s launching a poetry group to foster collaboration and vulnerability through writing and performance. She also runs her own site, Poems Against Silence, where she publishes her work, uploads video recordings (including her performance at the town hall), and invites other young poets to contribute.