poetry4socialjustice

[poetry4socialjustice]

Ain’t Burned All the Bright | Jason Reynolds & Jason Griffin

This book combines poetry and visual art to tell the story of a Black teenager living through the turmoil of 2020.

[poetry4socialjustice]

The Poet X | Elizabeth Acevedo

This novel-in-verse by Elizabeth Acevedo follows Xiomara, or X, a fifteen-year-old Dominican girl living in Harlem. Read on as X learns how to find her voice through poetry.

[poetry4socialjustice]

If They Come for Us | Fatimah Asghar

Fatimah Asghar’s poetry collection draws on her experiences growing up in the U.S. as a young Pakistani Muslim woman. Poems touch on topics such as race, identity, sexuality, and violence.

[poetry4socialjustice]

Poetry is a Political Act: An interview with June Jordan | Colorlines

In this short interview, originally published in 1988, acclaimed poet and activist June Jordan describes her views on poetry: “Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth.” Read online.

[poetry4socialjustice]

“Poetry Is Not A Luxury” by Audre Lorde | Fulton County Library System

This video, created by the Fulton County Library System, is a read-aloud of the famous essay “Poetry Is Not A Luxury” by poet, feminist, and activist Audre Lorde. In this 1977 essay, Lorde argues that poetry is a crucial part of the movement for women’s liberation.

[poetry4socialjustice]

I Matter | National Youth Foundation

The annual “I Matter” Poetry & Art competition, organized by the National Youth Foundation, invites students grades K-12 to submit art and poetry about why Black lives matter. Winning pieces are published in a book. Check out the 2020, 2021, and 2022 “I Matter” collections here!

[poetry4socialjustice]

Poetry Database | Split This Rock

This database contains over 600 social justice poems and can be searched by social justice theme, author’s identity, and geographic region. All poems can be read online. Some poems include audio and video recordings.

[poetry4socialjustice]

Poems of Protest, Resistance, and Empowerment | Poetry Foundation

This collection of over 70 poems, put together by the Poetry Foundation, showcases protest poetry from a wide range of social movements. All poems can be read online.

[poetry4socialjustice]

National Youth Poet Laureate

The National Youth Poet Laureate is a program that celebrates “exceptional youth poets who use their voice to inspire change.” Learn how to become a youth poet laureate, and check out the work of current and past youth laureates! 

[poetry4socialjustice]

Youth Speaks

Youth Speaks is a national spoken word poetry organization that hosts poetry slams, writing workshops, open mics, conferences, and more for teens. Youth Speaks “aims to deconstruct current dominant narratives by creating a more inclusive and active culture.” Check out the Youth Speaks YouTube channel to see spoken word pieces written and performed by teens!

[poetry4socialjustice]

826 National

826 National is an organization with nine chapters throughout the U.S. that uses writing as a “as a tool for young people to ignite and channel their creativity, explore identity, advocate for themselves and their community, and achieve academic and professional success.” 826 offers after-school writing programs, free workshops, field trips, and more for teens.

[poetry4socialjustice]

Poems by Theme: Social Justice | Poetry.org

This collection contains over 300 poems with social justice themes on the Poets.org website. The poems range from the late 19th century to the present day. You can search for a specific author, poem title, type of poem, and occasion. All poems can be read online.