Poetry Off The Page

Greetings All,

I hope all is grand. 

I am gearing up this week to start The POETRY OFF THE PAGE PROJECT with the East Oakland Boys and Girls Club and I am nervous as well as very excited! Though, I confident that this will be a very productive and enlightening experience for both the youth and myself.

Poetry off the Page: PROJECT

Performance Poetry, Spoken Word and Hip Hop Workshops

The Poetry off The Page Project seeks to empower today’s youth and young adults to tell their stories by exploring their creativity and gifts, while developing their authentic voice through the use of creative writing and performance. These workshops will be open to middle and high school age youth wishing to explore his/her own thoughts, feelings and abilities. In addition, these workshops seek to educate individuals in the area of craft, structure and history of the art of poetry, spoken word and hip hop. Over the course of 6 to 8 weeks, participants of the Poetry off the Page Project will be introduced to the following artistic areas and more; as they will be given the opportunity to expand and explore creatively and artistically:

• Creative Writing Prompts: self identity, my community, power and struggle, what is truth, non-consent in dating relationships
• Historical Glances: spoken word and its historical importance

·         Performance Prompts: enhancing ones voices (What is the difference between ACTORS and PERFORMANCE artists?)

·         Business Minded: publishing, self publishing, marketing 101 (and more)

·         Guest Poets/Writers/Spoken Word Artist and More:  Latasha Warmsley (Writer), Sam Sax (Spoken Word Artist), Shampale (Poet/Spoken Word Artist)

As a Finale Project the participants will be given the opportunity to share with the community in the following platforms:

·         Poetry Slam

·         Feature Showcase

·         Chap Book

·         CD

·         Community/Grass Roots “Guerilla” Marketing/Promotions

Mission:

The Poetry off The Page: Performance Poetry, Spoken Word and Hip Hop Workshops empower all youth and young adults to BOLD, DARING and ORIGINAL through all Fine Arts Experience.

Goals/Objectives:

Short/Long Term Educational and Performance Goals

·         Program participants will leave with improved reading and writing skills

·         Program participants will leave with improved and increase knowledge of literature, art and hip hop

·         Program participant will leave with improved skills in public speaking/communication and performance

·         Program participants will leave with a bank of increased personal creativity

·         Program participants will leave with increased self esteem and determination

·         Program participants will leave with an appreciation for the arts

Demographics:

This program will serve currently enrolled/active middle and/or high school youth (adolescent/teen boys and girls) attending the East Oakland Boys and Girls Club attending the Oakland Unified School Districts and surrounding areas.