A young man traded his business suit for board shorts after an accidental collision with a single art form—slam poetry.

Kealoha, the first poet laureate of Hawaii, a slam-poetry champion, and internationally acclaimed performer is coming to San Juan Community Theatre, Oct. 20. (A state poet laureate is appointed by government officials to compose and perform poems at special events and conferences).

The poet credits his agent, Karen Fischer, for much of his success and setting up most of his gigs, but it was his words that inspired Susan Williams, artistic director at SJCT, to arrange the Friday Harbor show.

Williams saw the poet perform as keynote speaker of a booking convention in Tacoma.

“I was impressed with him, but also moved,” Williams said. “Slam poetry is racing through the under-25 generation and I wanted to make sure the kids here see that.”

An MIT graduate, working as a management consultant to companies like Adidas and Visa, Keahloha was in his prime. He discovered slam poetry in the Bay Area a little over a decade ago, after casually thumbing through a newspaper looking for something to do in his free time. He attended the slam poetry event mentioned in the paper, and his future was forever altered. He spent the next few days writing fervently, neglecting his profession.

“I had a ‘20-year-old crisis’,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘I want to experience my life in my body right now. I’ll be behind a desk later if I have to.’”

Ten years later, he’s still not behind that desk. He’s travelled the globe performing, and his stop in San Juan Island is the beginning of a Pacific Northwest tour.

In his poem “Zoom Out,” the staccato rhythm of his voice pierces the air and a particular phrase resonates with the listener—“Tonight I want you to think about your life, and tomorrow I want you to live it.”

The poet’s work speaks volumes to many causes and themes—economics, environmentalism and human rights, but a major message is living in the now, and to experience life as best as one can.

“There’s no one solution for everyone,” he said. “For me it was quitting my career and exploring my personal needs.”

Higher education and the corporate world was not time wasted, however. Kealoha considers it a “sociological experiment,” whereby he discovered how adaptable he truly is. As a native Hawaiian, he found a place to fit in a culture and environment vastly different from his own. But the poet doesn’t think he is any kind anomaly, rather that everyone is capable of existing, and even thriving, outside of their comfort zone.

Kealoha said that turning art into a viable living requires discipline and patience. When poetry became directly linked to his financial well-being, Kealoha experienced writer’s block, but over time learned to use it to his advantage.

If the words aren’t flowing, the poet uses that writing downtime to work on his website, outreach and bookings.

“I can’t force my creativity,” he said. “I try to go surfing, hiking, or have a conversation with a friend—so when it comes time to create, I can create in a beautiful frame of mind.”

The SJCT will host a slam poetry workshop, led by Kealoha, for students ages 12-18, at 3:15 p.m., Oct 20., followed by his performance at 7:30 p.m. Both events are part of the theatre’s community education outreach program, which brings artists and adolescents together.

Kealoha is always looking for inspiration, and hopes to find some on San Juan Island.

“We’re all island people,” he said. “I’m stoked to interface, see, and understand how you connect with your oceans and communities.”