Dear America *Extended Cut*

Matt reads a piece from an Underground Writing class at juvenile detention. The piece, titled 'Dear America', was written the day after the presidential election in November 2016. Matt and Alvin discuss the ongoing internal battles that our nation and world undergo, the histories of oppression and hatred that divide us, and the anthems that propel us forward. They also remember visiting the Ellis Island Museum with the students from the Migrant Leaders Club. 

Matt gives us an update about the week-long intensive that just wrapped up at the Oasis site and relays a bit of news about Underground Writing's teaching writers. 

Note: We are a creative writing program serving at-risk populations. We do not broadcast names or identifying details of the students we work with. 

LINKS OF INTEREST:

• What No One Ever Tells You, the UW anthology
• Port Townsend Writer's Conference 
• James Baldwin
• Underground Writing Newsletter: June/July 2018 
• Another "Dear America" poem

Society Weighs Me Down *Extended Cut*

Our student writing this week is titled "Society Weighs Me Down." Matt and Alvin talk about the individual and the larger community, and how one affects the other in deliberate ways or not. 

Matt gives an update on the process of publishing the UW anthology and thoroughly recommends the book of poetry by Tyehimba Jess titled Olio.  

Note: We are a creative writing program serving at-risk populations. We do not broadcast names or identifying details of the students we work with. 

LINKS OF INTEREST:

• What No One Ever Tells You, the UW anthology
• Olio, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner by Tyehimba Jess
• Commonplace Podcast by Rachel Zucker
• The Eisenhauers music