Have you ever felt like an outsider? Someone who hides their own truths? Many of our students house private experiences that are never voiced without spoken poetry, going through some of the toughest life circumstances. But our students have used spoken poetry to spread awareness and stand up for themselves, their friends, their families, their and communities.
“I want to change the president’s mind.” On the first day of our Lit League camp, Axel never spoke. He kept his head down and barely made eye contact with the board. But when we spoke the words, “Poetry doesn’t have to be perfect. It can talk about things that we are too scared to say in a conversation, “ he began to write. Axel lives in Santa Ana. Everyday he lives in fear for the safety of his family. After many loved ones have been deported in the ICE raids, all he can do is watch. “Why are my people illegal?” he asked. “Why do we carry these chains?”
Elena had always grappled with her Hispanic-American identity, struggling with her native language that her family often spoke. Through her poetry, she explores the power of kindness and happiness, using her voice to spread awareness about the ongoing cruelty and violence in our environment today. And within every sentence of her poetry, she is constantly weaving in Spanish as she reconnects and embraces the power of her culture and language.
During our Lit League camps and workshops, Brianna started out hesitant to speak. Although she was able to pinpoint exactly what made many famous poets powerful and striking, she struggled to translate those same skills in her own spoken poetry. However slowly, as she explored darker themes of self harm and youth mental health, she continued to learn to use her hand movements, volume, tonal quality, and her inner spark to move her audience.
For the longest time, Julian had struggled with his behavior and temper, acting out in class and with his peers. Yet, during our first Lit League camp, he expressed a sudden interest in our program, voluntarily joining for the full week. Exploring and delving into our spoken word curriculum, Julian learned to talk about his own inner struggles, whether it be at home or on the playground, starting his journey of self discovery.
Lily was the student in the back of the classroom. She was quiet, shy, but also extremely attentive. Her eyes were bright and brimming with untold stories, and she would write pages of poems, surrounded by peers who wrote paragraphs or mere sentences. However, her greatest barrier was her ability to speak. Lily had a fear of public speaking. Yet by learning our 4 simple steps of spoken poetry, she learned to muster up her courage, speaking about extremely important issues in front of her peers and disregarding her own worries for those awe-inspiring minutes.
Like many of our older students, Brendan was initially hesitant to engage in the world of spoken poetry, having not been previously introduced to it. Yet after watching our live performances, a testament to our own truths, he understood that poetry rose above any academic assignment in English class. He realized that spoken poetry is a way to express our raw, visceral experience no matter how painful they are. As a result, he utilizes his poetry to speak about his struggles at home, living in the shadow of his older brother.
Olivia le is a talented youth spoken poet. As a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, she has won state and national poetry competitions and was a finalist for the California Youth Poet Laureate. Her work has been published internationally and she is a 2-year Get Lit Player with Get Lit-Words Ignite. She used spoken word to share about her experiences and raise awareness on social issues.
Dharma Lemon is a writer, teaching artist, and activist from Los Angeles County. She is involved with an organization called Get Lit – Words Ignite. Her work focuses on topics like feminism, body positivity, the environment, and racial injustice. She is known for her passionate writing and activism, having performed alongside celebrity activists and participated in various events, including “Artists for Amazonia”.
Marcus Omari is a critically acclaimed poet, writer, performer, and instructor who teaches poetry programs across Orange County. He’s known for his spoken word performances and has authored several chapbooks. He’s a six-time National Speech and Debate Award winner and has been featured on TV shows like VERSES & FLOW on TV One. He’s also the founder of the Poetic Reform Party.
