Gainesville poetry and creative arts organization ARTSPEAKSgnv, Inc. will hold its 11th annual Courageous Young Voices Teen Poetry and Creativity Celebration on Sunday, March 9.
The free event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Historic Thomas Center (302 NE 6th Ave.), aiming to uplift the voices of Gainesville youth by featuring teen poetry and expression, such as spoken word and storytelling.
Attendees can also enjoy music and pizza at the celebration, which is co-sponsored by the Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and the event’s youth coordinator Brittany Coleman will moderate the event.
All middle and high school students interested in participating in Courageous Young Voices can sign up here.
“What I’m most looking forward to is bearing witness to the powerful expressions of poetry and creativity bestowed upon everyone so blessed to be there,” said E. Stanley Richardson, Alachua County’s poet laureate and APTSPEAKSgnv founder and director, in an email to Mainstreet.
Richardson started ARTSPEAKSgnv in 2012 with a mission to support poets and artists in North Central Florida. According to its website, the non-profit hosts performances, workshops, readings and festivals to promote love for poetry and the arts, while also inspiring and nurturing talent.
With its first year in 2014, Richardson said Courageous Young Voices’ desire is to bring people from different communities together and center them around the powerful voices, expressions and creativity of young students.
He said reading and writing poetry exposes teens to a rich vocabulary, figurative language and diverse writing styles, while also encouraging introspection, and self-reflection to help teens better understand themselves and their place in the world.
“Poetry is important to this generation for the same reasons it has been important to generations throughout the ages,” Richardson said. “Teenage years are often marked by intense emotions and self-discovery. Poetry provides a safe and creative outlet for teens to explore and express these feelings, whether it’s joy, sadness, anger, or confusion. Reading and writing poetry help teens with their ability to communicate effectively in writing, speaking and also with literacy and reading comprehension.”
Richardson can be reached at estanleyrichardson@gmail.com or 352-792-2846 for more information on Courageous Young Voices.
Encouraging writing and providing a safe space to explore the craft is important as we want all people to express themselves in positive and constructive ways. Thank you for providing exposure to the Artspeaksgnv program. As Alachua County’s poet laureate, E. Stanley Richardson has definitely used his platform for good! Jenny Dearinger, Past President of Writers Alliance of Gainesville