For the next few weeks we will be featuring several youth from the various BW workshops on our blog! During the workshops the youth read, wrote and shared as a community. Focused on diverse U.S. Mexican-American narratives, they read and discussed works by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, Ariana Brown, and Barrio Writers Lala Castillo, Marilynn Montaño and Illoheem.
After reading, they were asked to respond to a writer by doing a "response piece" or writing their own poem/story/personal narrative in similar style as the writers read in the workshop.
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 KEY, he created his own response through freewriting!
Freewriting: often done on a daily basis as a part of the writer's daily routine, usually for 5, 10 or 15 minutes. Write without worrying about spelling, grammar, or making corrections (revisions or editing). It’s one way to reduce writer’s block and develop a natural voice. If you reach a point where you can’t think of anything to write, then write that you can’t think of anything, until you think of something else to write.What makes KEY's words empowering is that he uses our diverse community members to create thought and give us insight on various narratives in the U.S. He helps us relate to our world and combat current issues in the U.S. Here is KEY's piece:
We shouldn't be judged by who we are
Who we like
Who we prefer
Our prefered partners
Our orientation
Our gender
Our race
How we live
How we dress
The colors of our skin
Under every piece of clothing
Behind everyone's eyes
Behind everyone's smile
We are the same
And we should be treated the same.
—KEY
Cypress Park Branch Library