Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Final Poem by Chiara Manuguerra I come from a generation where Hannah Montana, Drake and Josh, iCarly, and Victorious caused me to spend hours of my life glued to the tv. The worst memories I had in my childhood were dying in Mario Kart or when my backyard watermelon did not grow. I come from my old phases of Duck Tape, Rainbow Loom, Video Star, Minions, One Direction, and Justice Clothes. I come from old childhood memories with my Best Friends and our crazy lives. I come from a family that shares the same love of the Christmas season […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Long Day by Michele Torres I’m waiting for my life to start. Each day always the same, Staying like this will break my heart. It all feels like a game. Everyone tells me I’m not alone. All I see are shadows. My heart has turned into stone. I feel stuck in a shallow. Just like a wave in the ocean, I do have a motion. But I am not going anywhere. Have I been already there? Where has my motivation gone? How long can I stay strong? For now this will draw on. Soon my heart will sing a […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Self Journey by Michele Torres Everybody is telling me to act my age Being 16 I am in a good place and I am on a journey. Now in summertime sadness. I am a delicate flower. It’s sad but true. Laying on the sand. Can the sun rain on me? Make me feel new. I never knew who I was. But I can’t wait to be my new light. My world, I make on my journey. I know now nothing can hurt me. Michele Torres was a sophomore at Talented Unlimited High School in NYC at the time of […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Final Poem by Jayda Todd To have a strong mind would be amazingly weak. To have a job and get no pay I easily cannot wait to go outside and play I run barefoot and full of melanin and sunshine So I could just dip my feet into the creek side Little girls should cook and little boys should chop wood It’s like we all stand in line and have our identities read like books They take a few looks and think “All these people are crooks!” But all they have to do is just read a few books. […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Final Poem by Gianna Tagliarini We are judged for what we wear We are judged for our hair We are judged if we are too skinny, but God forbid we have extra meat Our opinions sometimes mean less Which makes our insides a mess And don’t even get me started about how we always have to look our best We pray for a man who’s not a creep Which sometimes could be a huge leap Constantly being scared about not being good enough Asking ourselves, was I not thin enough? Ambitious, angelic, and artistic is what we are as […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Final Poem by Anya Paul Love is having faith Souls alight, sun so high, no fear Silencing any other sound It engulfs your body like flames. Look, a girl, named Sharon! Once, a boy named Aaron Bent a knee for that Sharon Souls alight, sun so high, no fear as she said yes! Loving is hoping While hate coils like a snake Both silencing any other sound Another man held Aaron’s Sharon now And now hatred rots Aaron’s soul. Love is trust in one another She was fun, that Sharon! Chilling air, white ground It is trust in one […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Final Poem by Theo Aufray I get those candles every time, yeah, you come around, yeah Sometimes I forget about culture and gender and I lay down on the grass I let nature satisfy me as it is I am laying down on the grass enjoying summer time. The sun is bright and yellow It is so so hot, My blood is going to boil Beautiful summer If you are not in the sun, it is a bummer I am a boy but I wonder how I would see the world if I was a girl Hoping not to […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Please Leave Me Alone, I Don’t Want to Talk to Creepy Men on The Street by Sophia Guelke I depend on myself. I know sometimes I don’t signify, But it hurts when men pretend not to hear me, When they continue to objectify. When I ask them please leave me alone And they continue to follow. A slight breeze blows through my hair as I tuck it away, Prepared to run at any moment, But my fear I tried to swallow. You call me horrible names and why? Because I speak my mind When I say I just don’t […]

Student Work From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020 This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students. Listen to a recording of the following poem above.  Final Poem by Ruby Rivera Since I’m in quarantine, some things don’t go unseen. I see the world different. I see the world ignorant. Hard when you are just 16. Why is the world indifferent towards, Parents, grandparents seem so transparent. Is racism insignificant? The only thing setting us apart is culturally. The only virus I see is society. Don’t say it’s accidental. Really it is continual. To me, it is strange. We must bring about change. Ruby Rivera was a sophomore at Talented Unlimited High School in NYC at the time of this recording.