#3 Barrio Writers Workshop at KIPP Austin

Before the holiday break, BW Founder Sarah Rafael García taught 1-class period workshops at KIPP in Austin, Texas. She was hosted by an empowering high school teacher (and poet) whose goal was to influence her students through creative writing—Yay for Ms. Minde!

For the next few weeks we will be featuring Ms. Minde's students on our blog! During the workshops the youth read, wrote and shared as a community (60 mins: 20-reading, 20-writing, 20-sharing). They read and discussed works by Tim Z. Hernandez, Jasminne Mendez, Rene S. Perez II and Barrio Writer Jesse Castillo!

After reading, they were asked to respond to a writer by doing "blackout poetry" or writing their own poem/story in similar style as the writers read in the workshop.

In a response piece, you analyze the writing, but you also include your personal impression. Sometimes it's just something the writing made you think about, a small connection to the words, images and theme.

After writing, all the students were offered the opportunity to share their work and receive feedback from their peers. They were also invited to share on our blog!


Today's piece is by Ricardo Perez, he wrote a response to "When was the Last Time You Saw A Black Boy Smile?" written by Jasminne Mendez and published in the Outrage: A Protest Anthology For Injustice in a Post 9/11 World book by Slough Press. Here's Ricardo's piece:

The Little Boy Enraged

Truthfully happy before
the ridicule
the exile
the torment of being seen as
a person who wasn't good enough.

Struck down daily by those
whose relations he held most dear.
Tossed aside, told "You're never amount to nothing."

The smile put on daily
no matter how shattered
left the little boy enraged.

—Ricardo Perez

Check out Ricardo's writing process! Powerful words Ricardo, bravo!