Ashley August

Ashley August  is a 19 year old Brooklyn native and is currently a sophomore at Mercy College. A young ‘tour de force’ August is a writer, actress, singer, and performer. She began her poetic journey in the summer of 2009 at Urban Word NYC where she quickly established herself as a rising star: becoming a Youth Leadership Board member and participating in several highly acclaimed competitions including the 2010 Urban Word Slam Finals, the 2011 Knicks Poetry Slam. In 2012, August landed a spot on the Urban Word Youth Slam team. August has been a strong advocate of many causes, and continues to volunteer for several worthy organizations including the Brooklyn Special Olympics, and the NYC Kidney Walk. Currently, August is writing and working on her one woman performance entitled “Sea”, and collaborating with her Hip Hop Soul Project, “Aztec Gold”. Emerging out of the youth poetry scene, August is motivated to speak truth to power and push the boundaries of spoken word. August has carved her voice out of the experiences of herself and her family, embodying the perseverance  charisma, and strength needed to rise against all odds.  

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Ishmael ‘Ish’ Islam

Ishmael ‘Ish’ Islam is a Poet, MC, filmmaker and graphic artist. He is one of the 2010 Brave New Voices slam champions and placed third in the 2011 Knicks Poetry Slam. Ish is an award winning producer of the short film Departure from a Love. He is also one half of Brooklyn hip-hop duo HumUni (hyoom-yoo-ni) and has a one man show entitled The Self Spell. Ish is a Brooklyn native, currently in his last year at Kingsborough Community College.

The NYC Campaign Finance Board (CFB), its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC), and Urban Word NYC held the 2012 New York City Youth Poet Laureate Program (YPL) Voter Slam Final on Saturday, November 5, 2011. Over 250 people attended the event held in the Great Hall at Cooper Union, which was hosted by Hot97′s J. Medina. Out of the fourteen finalists who competed in the Final, Ishmael “Ish” Islam was named the 2012 Youth Poet Laureate for his winning poem, “Daydreaming at the Voting Booth.”

Verse, Vibes and Voices– Urban Word Youth Board

Wednesdays Apr. 24- Jun 12th 4:30pm-6:30pm

Who runs the world? YOUTH! Lead by the members of this year’s Word Wide Youth Board, (Insert Workshop Name) is the first step in claiming your voice and owning your craft. With weekly workshops varying from writing and performance, slam etiquette to self empowerment, the middle of the week has never been this awesome! To top it all off, this workshop even leads into its very own UDUB based open mic, First Draft! So you tell us, where else would you rather be on a Wednesday?

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FREE AFTERSCHOOL WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR TEENS
Spring Wordshops 2013

Manhattan Site
242 W. 27th Street, between 7th and 8th Aves.

Women Reborn – DJ Reborn

Tuesdays Apr. 23^nd- Jun. 11^th 4:30pm-6:30pm

In this workshop, critical artistic skills – turntabling, close reading, lyric analysis, collage building and creative writing– become the doorway to discovering women’s contribution to these mediums and our world.  Acclaimed female DJ and poet, DJ Reborn facilitates this workshop for teen WOMEN. 

Youth ED: Verbs, Vibes, and Voices– UW Youth Board

Wednesdays Apr. 24^rd- Jun. 12^th 4:30pm-6:30pm

Who runs the world? YOUTH! Lead by the members of this year’s Word Wide Youth Board, (Insert Workshop Name) is the first step in claiming your voice and owning your craft. With weekly workshops varying from writing and performance, slam etiquette to self empowerment, the middle of the week has never been this awesome! To top it all off, this workshop even leads into its very own UDUB based open mic, First Draft! So you tell us, where else would you rather be on a Wednesday?

Who’s the Man – K-Swift

Thursdays, April 25^th – June 13^th 4:30pm-6:30pm

This workshop is exclusively for teen men.  This will be a safe space for each and every XY chromosomal being to tell it like it is.  Through a critical look at media, creative writing and performance exercises, concepts of masculinity will be deconstructed, examined and remixed. 

See website for full wordshop description at www.urbanwordnyc.org

REGISTER NOW! Signup@urbanwordnyc.org or call 212-352-3495

Brooklyn Site

EL Puente – 211 South 4^th st and Havermeyer

Directions to EL Puente: Take the J,M,Z to Marcy Ave in Brooklyn. Walk underneath the overpass towards the Williamsburg Bridge and make a right on Havermeyer. On Havermeyer make the next left onto South 4^th Street. El Puente is 211 South 4^th st.

New Native Style-Trish Hicks

Thursdays, April 25^th – June 13^th 4:30pm-6:30pm 

This workshop continues to explore different forms of creativity and how they inspire writing, mc-ing and spoken word poetry. Use film, photography, music, collage, and other forms of artistic expression to tell the unique story of your life. From Wild Style to freestyle, your own personal style is the raw material for making your voice heard! Bring it!

Bronx Site

The Point, 940 Garrison Avenue, Bronx, NY 10474

Next Level Lit – Intikana

 Thursdays, April 25^th – June 13^th 6:30pm-8:30pm

The purpose of this workshop series is to prepare high school students for not only college courses, but for college life itself. Students will be challenged to take their writing skills to the next level while establishing a deep connection to the power of their own voice. As a group, we will dissect the works of visionary writers who have inspired social change while writing our own stories into existence. We will also discuss the ins and outs of everyday college life. Students will receive knowledge from lessons that often take many their entire college career to learn.

See website for full wordshop description at www.urbanwordnyc.org

REGISTER NOW! Signup@urbanwordnyc.org or call 212-352-3495