SAYS in Chicago 2009
Photo Slideshow
In July 2009, SAYS took a small group of young poets and educators to the International Teen Poetry Festival in Chicago. The annual festival hosted hundreds of young poets, representing over 50 cities and towns across the United States and beyond, who attended writing workshops and performances from July 14-19, 2009. SAYS was among the hundreds.
Our crew consisted of Charday (12th grader, Grant High); Nate (12th grader, Elk Grove High); Lavesha (9th grader, McClatchy High); Zany (just graduated from Genesis High); Zenae Scott (SCUSD Representative); Principal Vigil (Cal Middle); Guillermo Torres (Mutual Assistance Network/Poet-Mentor); Nicole Martinez (Elk Grove Unified teacher/Poet-Mentor); Dahlak Brathwaite (Poet-Mentor/SAYS educator); and Vajra Watson (UC Davis Representative).
All together, we had four students and six educators. Our SAYS students all entered the People’s Championship and ripped Sac-style. They were also given the honor of opening a few of the Slams. Overall, the group got closer and learned that SAYS is part of a much larger international movement of youth voices for social change.
