By Debbie Allen, Cofounder, Poets Against Racism & Hate USA
Poets Against Racism & Hate USA has reached an important milestone: Our community members are beginning to lead PARH USA events! Recently, members have stepped up to facilitate the PARH USA workshop and host an in-person poetry reading. We hope these accomplishments will encourage others to take similar action to help us enact our vision of growing PARH USA into an organization of national significance.
In late September, PARH USA member Tabassam Shah presented the PARH USA Social Justice Poetry Workshop to Free Verse Poets, a poetry community in Charleston, South Carolina. The PARH USA workshop includes descriptions of social justice poetry, an exploration of perspectives from which poets enter social justice writing, discussion of the effectiveness of social justice poems, and a set of generative activities. With Hurricane Helene bearing down on the Carolinas, a last-minute decision was made to conduct the workshop virtually rather than in person. Consequently, our goal of developing an in-person program that could be adapted for effective online use was put to a sudden and unpredicted test! Tabassam worked with Marcus Amaker, founder of Free Verse Poets (and Charleston’s first poet laureate), to distribute the workshop worksheets to participants ahead of time and then deliver the workshop slide presentation via Zoom. The duration of the workshop was shorter than planned as attendees began losing power, but all were appreciative of the opportunity to learn more about social justice poetry and explore strategies for writing it. Marcus noted that the PARH USA workshop offers a useful approach for sorting through the heavy and overwhelming sense that often accompanies social justice poetry writing.
In early October, about a week after Tabassam’s endeavor, member Carol Smith presented a PARH USA social justice poetry reading at Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum in Glassboro, New Jersey. The event featured seven regional poets, including students from Rowan University’s Poetic Justice club, and concluded with an open mic session. The poets shared with an audience of about 35 people their original works addressing social justice issues. Attendees came away calling the reading an “interrogation of race and racism” and characterizing the poetry as “beautiful” and “emotionally invigorating.”
To support members interested in delivering PARH USA events, we provide tools and assistance. For the PARH USA workshop, for example, we offer a guidance document, the PowerPoint presentation and implementation guide for the applicable-length workshop (50 minutes, 75 minutes, or 90 minutes), worksheets for participants, and other needed items. We aid those who want to host a PARH USA reading by providing a guidance document, promotional resources, sample scripts, email templates, and other helpful materials. And for either the workshop or a reading, we’re just a phone call, email, or Zoom meeting away with answers to questions or other planning and preparation support.
Tabassam and Carol found their respective experiences gratifying and expressed interest in the potential of conducting additional PARH USA events in the future. Reflecting on the New Jersey reading, Carol said, “To someone considering hosting a PARH event, I would say, ‘Do it. You’ll be well supported every step of the way, and you’ll have the satisfaction that comes with helping to put powerful poetry out into our world.’”
To someone considering hosting a PARH event, I would say, ‘Do it. You’ll be well supported every step of the way, and you’ll have the satisfaction that comes with helping to put powerful poetry out into our world.’
—PARH USA member Carol Smith
We are indebted to Tabassam and Carol for serving as pioneers in our effort to expand our reach via leadership from those in our community. If you would like to facilitate the PARH USA Social Justice Poetry Workshop or host a PARH USA in-person poetry reading in your area, please contact us at poetsagainstracism.usa@gmail.com. Together, we can lead the charge to confront racism, bigotry, and hate through the power of poetry.