Write Down, Speak Out: Youth Slam Poetry

We are walking stories, a combination of our experiences, our family history, and the people around us. When we dare to share those stories we have the potential to change the world! With spoken word/slam poetry as our guide, we will learn ways to write with a power & complexity that stays true to our story, along with gaining the performance skills to take the stage with what we have to say. Attendees can expect writing prompts inspired by Danez Smith, Phil Kaye, Sarah Kay, Blythe Baird, and more, accompanied by performance practice ranging from adjusting mic stands to strong stage presence.

Ages: 13-19

Tuition: FREE

Registration Required: Please use the form provided

Instructor

Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey is an author, performer, and producer. He hails from Columbia, Missouri, and holds a bachelor’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Iowa. His debut book, Look, Black Boy, became Amazon’s #1 new release in African American poetry, and was featured on Iowa Public Radio. His second book, Heart Notes was published in 2019. In 2020 and 2021 he was named Best Poet/Spoken Word Performer in Cedar Rapids & Iowa City. In 2021 he converted the poems from his first book to create his first spoken word album, Look, Black Boy. He co-founded the literary magazine Black Art; Real Stories, was published in Iowa's Best Emerging Poets - 2019, the Little Village Magazine, and wrote a monthly column for The Real Mainstream.