Guest blog from Workshop Leader, Donna PattonReggie escorted five girls into the back office at Lift for Life gym. The office was small and crowded, full of files and donated items like gloves and mouthwash. Boys loudly chattered and played basketball on the other side of the thin office wall. […]
#GivingTuesday is here!
In 2017, YourWords STL provided:- A full year of weekly one-on-one tutoring at Drury House for 16-20-year-old young men at Marygrove Children’s Home- A full year of creative writing workshops at Drury House with two chapbooks currently in production led by Dr. Anna Ojascastro Guzon and Joey Ferber- Our inaugural […]
Fall Semester in the Books
Guest blog from Workshop Leader, Joey FerberSemester by semester, YourWords STL contributes to the ongoing St. Louis movement fighting for youth literacy and creativity. The energy and spirit of the organization in tandem with its students’ skill and passion create a feedback loop of inspiration. As options open and ideas […]
Goodbye to My Brother
Guest blog post from Executive Director, Steve HandoyoI’m writing today on a personal note. YourWords STL, and my family, lost one of our most ardent supporters recently in a sudden and tragic accident. My brother-in-law, Joe Giljum, should have turned 37 today. He would have hated the Cubs clinching on […]
Summer Songs: A Lyrical Introduction to YourWords STL
Guest blog from Drury House Workshop Leader Joey Ferber The summer heat swelled on the bluffs of the muggy Missouri. In the reprieve of good company and hard working air conditioning units, YourWords STL’s four-week songwriting session began on the first Wednesday afternoon of June. Garbed in a rolled-up Oxford, handed […]
Wayfinding
Feature Blog Post by Program Director, Anna Ojascastro Guzon
I walked into the classroom at 4 PM, when tutoring starts, and nine young men were already sitting down, working. They hadn’t had a creative writing workshop in a couple months because we were starting out the year focused on
Arts Educators, Hold Up
Feature Blog Post by Program Director, Anna Ojascastro Guzon
Sit down, hol’ up… be humble. – Kendrick Lamar
Almost 10 years ago, directors Greg Jakobs and Jon Siskel created the award-winning film about Louder than a Bomb: A Chicago Youth Poetry Festival. The documentary features co-founder Kevin Coval and
Brick by brick
Guest Blog Post from Executive Director, Steve HandoyoThe echo of youth voices and applause over the past month continue to wash over me in astonished waves. Commuting back and forth between Chicago and St. Louis, my month has been suffused with young artists building our future. Last week, I was […]
On Being a Volunteer – Small Kindnesses that Get Big Smiles
Guest Blog Post from Tutor Coordinator and Workshop Leader, Patsy Zettler
All anyone in this world wants is a little love and attention. A little one-on-one. A touch on the shoulder. Some eye-contact. A smile. As volunteers who work with children, though we may be leading an activity, helping
Louder Than a Bomb comes to Town
YourWords STL and Young Chicago Authors (YCA) in conjunction with KDHX will be gathering poets, schools, organizations, and activists as we explore slam poetry as a vehicle for youth empowerment in St. Louis.Acclaimed poets and leaders of Young Chicago Authors, Nate Marshall and Kevin Coval, will each perform, as well as […]