Poetry of June 2015

/in , /by

Enjoy some of our favorite poetry from June 2015!

Lyrical Miracle
By Kevin, 17

I am a lyrical miracle
Diving in through my words
Like a swimming pool
A criminal, snatching meanings
And dissecting them to a minimal
I am a scattered brain
That has no pain
And feels no shame
No regrets, place your bets,
Write down my name,
So you don’t forget

Shy
By Jodi, 12

dIMy6GVNKUKL86oLiA0vvtIP9inJ7EdF5DJSa7wcPlE

Drawing on Air artwork by Solomon

Shy wears boring colors
Blending in with the crowd.
Shy lives in a house
Like the others around it.
Shy only talks around the people
She trusts.
Friends, family
Sometimes even pets.
She eats plain food
Nothing too fancy
She wants people to see her
But in a way they move on
After a few seconds
Being the center of attention
Makes her uncomfortable
So she hides whenever she can

Happy
By Jose, 10

Happy would wear regular clothes
A t-shirt, a yellow t-shirt
And pants with sneakers with strings
Happy lives in a house
With small dogs
And toys
Happy works as a baker
Making cakes for birthdays
And cookies

Untitled
By Gabriel, 11

Love is the color of
Red like roses
Cool careful
And loving so it won’t die
Love is never ending

Love is the sound of
Wind chimes wind going
Threw and crystal like sounds

Love taste like warm huggs
In front of the fireplace

Love feels like everyone
In the family cares about you
And it like and oversized
Stuffed teddy bear

Love moves like a
Slow hugging and feeling
Like a million bucks

Untitled
By Jesus, 12

I am a tree poet
I live in the ground
The tree grows seeds first
My poems the roots come out
Of the tree
The rain comes out
Then the branches come out

I am a snow poet
I fall out of the sky with clouds
The snow is white and on the floor
My poems do fall freeze then on
The floor then it gets big and bigger
Until the ground is full of snow

I am a flower poet
I am a flower and the flowers come
Out of a seed
My poem’s a seed
And seeds and water
Grow and the water
Makes flowers grow

I am a grass poet
I need water to grow and dirt
To make roots
My poems are making dirt and water
I need seeds and water
And I need dirt

Untitled
By Matthew, 8

I am a dragon poet
I like dragons and they are cool
And they breath fire
My poems hunt
Fly
Finding
Friend
Riding
Playing
Cool
Be the best dragon

I Seem To Be
By Shada, 16

I seem to be smart
But really I am genius
I seem to be happy
But really I am super duper happy
I seem to be capable
But really I am able to do anything I want

Meet Our New Volunteer Coordinator, Megan!

/in /by

MeganFowlerArt from Ashes is happy to welcome Megan Fowler as our new Volunteer Coordinator! Megan has been involved with Art from Ashes for a long time as a volunteer, and we are very excited to have them in this new role.

Here is some more info about Megan:

Megan Fowler graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver in Spring, 2015 with a double major in Psychology and Queer Studies.

Megan is currently working as the Volunteer and Events Coordinator for Art from Ashes and serves as the lead student for The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Student Services at Auraria.

Megan is currently working towards co-publishing an article focusing on non-monogamous communities as folklore. Ultimately, they want to earn their Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in order to conduct research focused on GLBTQIA communities and serve as a therapist specializing in these communities.

This has certainly been a time of much change and growth for the organization, and we are taking big steps in our effort to reach and impact as many young lives as possible behind our dedicated volunteers and staff.

Saying Goodbye

/in /by

Not only did Art from Ashes lose a wonderful youth poet when Jessie Hernandez was killed at the end of January, but we lost a former workshop facilitator when Christy Bailey succumbed in June to cancer after a long and fierce fight. In the same month, ItsReaLight (Natasha Spence), who motivated and inspired hundreds of youth poets by serving with our agency, passed from Lupus.

We remember them with love.

Christy Bailey

Click on the photo to read more about Christy.

Click here to attend Christy’s memorial service at Lighthouse Writers

Christy and former volunteer Lisa at Running of the Gays 2011

Christy and Lisa at Running of the Gays 2011

Read more about and by Christy here:

Hunger Mountain and Rochester Magazine

ItsReaLight (Natasha Spence)

Support ItsReaLight's burial fund by clicking on her photo.

Support ItsReaLight’s burial fund by clicking on her photo.

Listen to ItsReaLight’s words here:

Industrial Arts Festival

/in /by

Local bands, artists and performers will come together Saturday, June 27, to celebrate Colorado’s unique culture. The “dark art event” will feature nine bands, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Art from Ashes! Rising rap star and former AfA program participant PJ Sykes, known as Legion, will speak about AfA at the event and perform some of his poetry. Purchase your tickets here!

Adult Intro Wordshop

/in , /by

PencilPaperADULT INTRODUCTORY WORDSHOP SERIES

The Phoenix Rising process is designed to allow participants to recognize their inherent creative power and how perception affects our identity and our reality. Art from Ashes uses the latest research in left-brain/right-brain functioning and the role of creativity in transformation to encourage participants to access the creative subconscious and the power available through artistic expression.

:: Wednesdays from 6 to 7.30 pm, Aug 26–Sept 30 with Catherine O’Neill Thorn

$175 payment due by Aug 18 :: check, cash or pay online with PayPal
(You don’t need a PayPal account; just select “Pay with a debit or credit card” on the PayPal page.)

Youth Rising on Broadway

/in /by

Youth Rising on Broadway

Progressive appetizers, drinks and poetry!
Sunday, July 19th, 2015

Starting at 3pm at Mutiny Bookstore and Coffee (2 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80209):  free coffee and performances by our Youth Poets

Then at 4:30pm we move to Adrift Tiki Lounge (218 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80209):  for appetizers and a silent auction

Then at 6pm we move to Syntax Bar (554 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80209):  for drinks and music (Jazz!)

Only $30.00 for entire event at all three venues!




2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award Finalist!

/in , , /by

Screen Shot 2015-05-21 at 1.28.00 PM

 

In May 2015, Art from Ashes received the following notification letter from President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and its partner agencies, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Congratulations! Your program’s work has been chosen for recognition as a 2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (NAHYP) Finalist by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and its partner agencies, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We are highly impressed with the successful work your organization and the other Finalists have accomplished in youth after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities learning.

Your program’s selection as one of the 50 Finalists distinguishes it as one of the top arts- and humanities-based programs in the country.

Poets of Emily Griffith

/in , /by
CPT at Emily Griffith

Click here for a video clip.

Art from Ashes has partnered with Colorado Public Television to provide Phoenix Rising wordshops for youth at the Emily Griffith Technical College. Below are some of the 3-minute poems produced and a couple of videos!

Rant, written April 6, 2015
by Walter, 18

From the time I could remember
I’ve wanted to die not because I was sad but because I’m tired of living
The one thing stopping me is the fact people will always need art
And the one reason I’m still here is a faulty round or bad firing pin
Or something told me or compelled me to puke up the pills I took
People make me sick honestly
I know firsthand with my brother raping and killing one of his own cousins
Or a father not calling me until I’m 14 to sell drugs for him
My art is not out of anger
But it is of the good in my life
And the good times
Honestly I’m not ready to die
But I’m sick of living

Walter-imageWithout Fear, written May 18, 2015
by Walter, 18

My life would be easier
I’d be able to wake up
And say I’m happy
How about yourself?
If I were given the chance
I’d always wake up fearless
With the ability to love my fellow man
And he would be able to say
I love this planet
And everything on it
Including you
It is a nice dream to keep

Video of Esther, 19

What I Would Say to You if Only You Would Listen
by Tamara, 20

I’m talking to the cord or am I really talking to myself
I feel empty my heart is out of beats
I fake my last breath of life and say
God forgive me for my sins
I’m not perfect, you know
Maybe it was the pain that made me come in rage
Where were you mom no one can explain
I still respect you and love you
Because in the end I am a product of you
But then again that’s not true
I’m Tamara let me say that again
I TJRS
I don’t drink because of you
All the time I got alcohol abused they wanted me
To follow your footsteps
But I refused to be something
That I could never even like
You hated me but I loved you
I know you were hurt
Has a kid who could ever know

Video of Darrian, 19

Affirmation Poem
by Lilly, 17

I love and approve of myself.
I accept the difference between us
Between you and me
And not only do I accept you
Most of all I accept me
I am the raging wind carrying the shadows over a raven’s wing
Never stopping to ask, just knowing that it is
I am the blood in your veins working you alive
Working us alive and you never give me a second thought
I know what I do is worth it
I know I matter
Without the sound on your tongue

FOR MORE VIDEOS OF THE YOUTH GO TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Conference on Well-Being

/in /by

A FREE Day of Healthy Activities To Enhance Your Well-Being

Well-Being

Emceed by former First Lady of Colorado Jeannie Ritter

Art from Ashes will be presenting during the breakout session on a panel about “Working With Adolescents” for the Mental Health Center of Denver’s Conference on Well-Being. Join us for a day of healthy activities that include workshops on food, art, mental, financial and physical health. Breakfast and Lunch are included!

To register for this FREE conference, go here: http://bit.ly/mhcd-wellbeing

To attend the panel on Working With Adolescents only, register above and choose Breakout Session #2 from 2.15 to 3.15pm