youth poetry

By Louie

I Am

One of the foundational activities of our programs is the “I Am” Poem. It is an opportunity, when we first come together, to introduce ourselves through a creative, poetic lens; it allows for us to express the difficult, contradictory and paradoxical aspects of our selves; and it is through all these elements – our whole selves – that something beautiful is brought forth.

Through our circles and through our dialogues, we are able to cultivate a space in which youth feel comfortable being vulnerable and open. Moreover, we are able to critique and reimagine the narratives and identities that we’ve brought with us to the circle.

By the end of the week of summer camp, our youth and staff had re-imagined their “I Am” poems. Below is a sampling of what they created.

About The Author

Louie Bedar
Louie Bedar was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. Louie is a purveyor of Mind & Spirit seeking to define universal right action. He believes unequivocally that our individual actions can have seismic effects that change our lives. Louie is a passionate educator, community activist, theologian, ethicist and paradigm shifter.

Re-sources

Re-Imagining Education

Empowering educators to take a deeper look at the stories told in our schools and to re-imagine them in transformative and
nurturing learning spaces.

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Learning Opportunities

Classes, workshops, and lectures that help to empower people to re-imagine who they are and their place in the world.

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Books

Books written by
Re-imagining authors

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Get Involved

Help the Chicago Wisdom Project realize its mission to re-imagine education through holistic programming that transforms individual, community and world through creative expression.

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