A Transatlantic Youth Writers Workshop
As part of Culture Night Donegal 2020 young people from Donegal Youth Service, Kids Own and Young Chicago Authors participated in a special young writers workshop over Zoom with Kevin Coval, poet and Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors.
As part of Culture Night Donegal 2020 young people from Donegal Youth Service, Kids Own and Young Chicago Authors participated in a special young writers workshop over Zoom with Kevin Coval, poet and Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors.The 90 minute exchange session incorporated a poetry writing prompt centred on themes of identity and home, and explored the youth experience and culture of growing up in Chicago, USA and Donegal, Ireland.
The following short film premiered for Culture Night Donegal, tells the story of what happened. It celebrates the creativity of our young people on both sides of the Atlantic.
Who are Young Chicago Authors?
Source: www.youngchicagoauthors.com
Through creative writing, Young Chicago Authors helps young people from all backgrounds to understand the importance of their own stories and those of others, so that they can pursue the path they choose and work to make their communities more just and equitable.Founded in 2001 after the Twin Towers fell, during a time when young people of color in Chicago were being targeted by an anti-gang loitering law which aimed to take away their right to assemble in groups of more than two.
Two Chicago-based poets-Kevin Coval and Anna West-and a group of educators created a space for youth to congregate and express themselves through the writing and performing of spoken word poetry.
What started with a handful of teams spitting bars in a basement has grown into over 120 teams all over the city and the suburbs competing to packed houses.
Now more than 13 cities across the country and Canada use the LTAB Chicago model to educate and organize.
