The Welfare Poets conduct numerous poetry and community-empowerment workshops throughout the US and the Caribbean. Some have served as Poets-in-Residence at public schools where they engaged students at all developmental levels and ages, helping them refine their own unique voices.
The Poets also conduct staff development workshops for teachers to broaden understanding and appreciation for poetry as it relates to literacy and “urban” art-forms such as hip-hop.
WORKSHOP SAMPLES
The Hip-Hop Workshop
- The Art of Rhyme
- Hip Hop is Poetry
- Basic Beat Production
- Advanced Beat Production
- The Art of Rhyme (Advanced)
- Live Hip Hop (with a band)
- Song Creation
- Miix Tapes & Albums
RESIDENCIES AND CONFERENCES Host the The Welfare Poets for a one time workshop or a in-depth series of workshops lasting five or more sessions.
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Student Poems
A HAIKU
I found some water
I really needed a bath
But I drank it all
By Keyshon Francis
3rd grader
Bronx Charter School of the Arts
EPIPHANY
Have I used all my energy to reach Grover from where I sing
I know it's a chance I won't make it, but still I try, then the bell rings!!!
I make a final attempt by running to the door
But then the lady said, "No not today, I'm not taking anymore."
I back up knowing this can lower my gym score
Then I see a white girl walk right through the door!
So I say, "Yo miss, how come you let the white girl go through?"
She looks at me and her eyes say, "Don't worry about her, it's you!"
I feel hurt and mad at the same time
Cause it's 2005 and not 1959
I know racism still exists, but this never happened to me
Every white teacher I had was nice, or at least pretended to be!
Me arguing with her was pointless, so I walked away in disbelief
Laughed it off, fronting in eyes of peers, but inside cries of grief
I go to my gym teacher immediately and tell him my angry Black woman story
But he seems to not care or even think I deserve a sorry
So now I'm seeing everything in black and white cause we seem to be back in the old times
And now that I see things clearly, I'm noticing even more racist signs
Iím insecure for sleeping on the fact that I am Black in every way
So I wrote this poem to remind all Blacks to watch out because KKK is still around today
By Shamari Davis
10th grader
Grover Cleveland HS
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Photos taken in Puerto Rico at an elementary during a workshop in May of 2001. |
