Poetry Electric: Poetry Against Gun Violence
.jpg)
Program Director William Electric Black
Join us for the final presentation of Poetry Against Gun Violence, a pilot workshop addressing the effects of the gun violence epidemic on America's youth. A group of young people from partners Lower East Side Girls Club will work with teaching artists to express their thoughts and feelings about gun violence in their communities.
The leading cause of death for children in the United States, gun violence is an inescapable reality for adolescents. Whether they have experienced it personally or in their communities, participated in lockdowns at school, or have been exposed through media, American youth must deal with what is widely called a gun violence epidemic. Young people from Black and Brown communities are disproportionately affected, leading to feelings of isolation and perpetuating the cycles of gun violence. Poetry has the unique power to cut through dominant narratives and draw out people’s innermost feelings. Workshop participants will have the space to listen and acknowledge each other’s stories and build collective understanding. These young people will use poetry, music, and movement for healing, growth and transformation, finding their voice and gaining communication skills to change the culture.
Participants:
Jolee Bethea
Madison Colon
Hope Diallo
Ailish Garcia
Rebekah Kwong
Mannah Kwong
Ashley Monterrosa
Poetry Against Gun Violence is supported by the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry and The Farview Foundation.
Danielle Aziza is an actress and performance artist from Anguilla, BWI. She has studied at Stella Adler, HB Studios and at The Acting Studio. Her solo performance work explores ideas of femininity and personal agency and aims to encourage others to live unabashedly.
Jaimé Yawa Dzandu is a choreographer, movement artist, community organizer, and facilitator with roots from Hampton, Virginia and Wusuta - Anyigbe, Ghana. She creates movement art-based experiences that seek to bring forth stories, social connection, restoration, and celebration. Currently she is the Senior Program Manager of Wellness and Culture at Lower Eastside Girls Club, where she organizes and facilitates year-round youth and adult programming in wellness and performing arts. She is also the Artistic Coordinator and facilitator for Urban Bush Women's BOLD network (Builders, Organizers, and Leaders through Dance). For a decade as a facilitator and community organizer, Jaimé has been working with individuals and organizations during challenging moments of change; burnout, navigating leadership transitions, and realigning practice with values. As a choreographer she creates work rooted in an African Diasporic experimental practice. Her work reflects the sacred in performance and focuses on exploring the complexities of Black girlhood/womanhood, lineage, and our relationship to nature. Her choreographic works includes ourwombtruth in collaboration with Brittany Williams (Open Season; National Black Theater, Bushwick Starr, Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans), mud diggn’: (Brooklyn Arts Exchange) mud diggn’: homework in progress (Movement Research) mud diggn’: she has always been here, sea (Corridor Gallery), mud diggn’’: working with the blues (BAAD!), bridge blood breath bone (92nd Street Y and Gibney Dance), and An Ode To Our Breath (Raising Voices Festival). You can find her collaborating with artists who explore performance at the center and edges of dance, theater, ritual, and community engagement. She is a proud recipient of Angela’s Pulse Dancing While Black Fellowship. She earned a B.F.A in Dance & Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University and resides on the unceded Indigenous land of the Lenape peoples. Her work in the community is a prayer to turn towards our bodies and the land with more curiosity, care, and reverence.
Ian Ellis James, AKA William Electric Black, is a seven-time Emmy Award winning writer for his work on "Sesame Street" between 1992 and 2002. He also wrote for Nickelodeon's "Allegra’s Window" - Topstone Production’s “Puzzle Place” and was head writer for Lancit Media’s "Backyard Safari". His children’s television show - “Rap-U-Cation” and half hour family comedy, Black Vampires…RUCRAZY!, were recently optioned, 2021, by FarView Entertainment.
In 2021, Ian wrote, directed, and produced 7 animated shorts - Food Thoughts for WTTW - ChicagoIn 2021, Ian was also a creative consultant on a children’s TV pilot, Dr. Greg’s SuperChefs Cookery - Fish On Ice. It was produced and shot in Vancouver, BC. Presently, he is head writer and executive producer on FarView Entertainment’s Dragon Clouds. He also developed a pitch deck for Pinna.FM - Quentin & Alfie’s ABC Adventures. For HIP HOP PUBLIC HEALTH, Electric wrote, directed, and produced animated and live action films featuring hip hop artists Doug E. Fresh, Chuck D, and Artie Green (Hip Hop Public Health). The short films promoted exercise and healthy living for young children re: obesity prevention.
Electric launched his Gunplays Series in 2013 at Theater For The New City with Welcome Home Sonny T- a play that spotlighted two significant forces driving the current epidemic of gun violence: the social impact of alienation and unemployment on young black males and the declining influence of black ministers as a force of stability in affected neighborhoods. He wrote four more plays about inner city gun violence, Gun Plays, now available via Applause Books at Amazon, Target, Barnes & Nobles and other online book venues. He is author of a series of Pre-K, early reader books re: gun violence awareness and prevention - A GUN IS NOT FUN (see www.Gunplays.org for his plays and children's books on gun violence awareness).
Poetry Electric
The Poetry Electric fuses music, movement, sound, and dance with the spoken word and presents artists working in a wide range of styles including beatboxing, jazz and hip-hop theatre. This series has presented over 200 emerging poets from diverse cultural backgrounds.