This post was written by Hatchet reporter Amulya Shankar.

A great performer leaves an audience speechless.

An extraordinary performer evokes a response so strong the crowd can’t help but cry out, whether in laughter or in tears.

There was rarely a quiet moment or dry eye at the Dec. 7 Common Folk Awards.

Honoring all categories from poetry to advocacy, the evening brought together a variety show of performers – even attracting artistic royalty.

Sonya Renee, a queen in the slam poetry kingdom, wowed the eclectic audience.

“I am deeply deeply humbled by the opportunity to share my heart and my experiences and my belief that the possibility of this world with other people around the globe,” Renee said.

Her poignant word choice, deft execution and rhythmic beat earned her the “Spoken Word of the Year Award.”

Her poems – blunt, raw, and yet so empathetic – evoked an awed reaction from the transfixed audience, demonstrating that the talent onstage that evening was anything but common.

Hosted at the Gala Theatre, the program seeks to award the unsung heroes, people who aim to move mountains, with the goal of shaping a better world. The Common Folk Awards simply encourage people to continue going through their daily motions, as many of the artists, poets and innovators honored would wholeheartedly pursue their work without any accolades or formal praise.

The event, now in its fourth year, is part of a larger movement in D.C. called One Common Unity – a non-profit formed to help people understand that they have the power to change their lives and their communities.

Award recipients represented all areas of art, life and spirit. From Dolores Huerta, a colleague of Cesar Chavez and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America, who received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Elisabeth Hoffman received the “Peacebuilder of the Year Award” for her work in Somalia.

A member of the ReadNex Poetry Squad, based in New York City, free-style rapped and danced. Urban Artistry put on an athletic mash-up of street dances. Grammy-nominated Baltimore native Maimouna Youssef sang several songs from her repertoire after accepting the award of “Artist of the Year.”

Youssef held back tears as she paid tribute to the audience and fellow award recipients.

“It’s so beautiful that some of our own are acknowledging us and giving us the encouragement to keep going with the lifework all of us have chosen to do,” she said.