What matters to me is the love that comes from above
Getting a kiss, or a rose, or just a hug on Valentine’s Day
What matters to me is the breath I breathe every day –
Because without it I couldn’t say
What matters to me is you, the way you see yourself
Asking for help when you need it
What matters to me is my family
Because without them you wouldn’t see me
What matters to me is my friends
Who loves me like a friend should
What matters to me is everything
Because it is what it is
That’s what matters to me
But most important - What matters to you?
While The Poetry LAB provides a clear community of hope for individual participants, its very existence holds macro-level and social justice implications for the broader culture as well. The impact of having such a group available to marginalized youth, a place where they can share the truth of their lives, challenges the broader culture to work towards a more equitable society.
The Poetry LAB model provides a place where students can discover and see that there is more to who they are than the "at-risk" labels that others have placed on them. Too often, the educational, correctional, and mental health systems reduce these beautiful spirits to something far less than their full capacity.
By participating in The Poetry LAB, students begin to see the power inside themselves, individually and collectively. They are empowered to tell their stories in ways that others can hear.
Our students have stories to tell. Part of these stories is our shameful history, of how we as a society have failed. Part of the story is the competence and insight that each of our students carries. We need to let them tell it in their own way, in their own voice, and in their own language, even if it makes us uncomfortable. If we allow youth to speak from their hearts, from the truth of their lives, they find success.
There are urgent circumstances in the lives of these youth, and educators and mental health providers know this. It is critical that we find ways to engage these youth in the work of education and emotional health. Social workers and educators who work in urban school settings have a great opportunity to try something new in their practice.
It is not necessary to be a spoken word poet or to know a lot about the world of hip-hop or rap, but it is essential to understand and respect that youth are influenced by these genres of expression. It is not necessary to see yourself as a writer or a poet or a spoken word artist. It is necessary to understand the healing power of the pen and the healing power of belonging to a safe community like The Poetry LAB.
Using The Poetry LAB model, school social workers and educators can begin building their own tool kit for using spoken word poetry in group work with youth. In fact, ask the youth themselves, and you will find out just how hungry they are to tell you what they know. They will welcome you into their world…
— UPCOMING EVENT —
Mary is hosting a live zoom training on the Poetry LAB curriculum on August 4th, 2022.
