Art Relief; When Performances Imitate Life

Schools were originally intended to build the innate desire to dream. The aim has not died, but adult realities set in. Rules and regulations that restrain youthful minds are imposed. Even when students are given the opportunity to express themselves much is prescribed. Few children feel free to speak authentically. As a society we want only to see the beauty and the best. When it does not exist in a child’s daily life, we ask them to pretend. Put on a happy face. Smile, cameras and your community, your country is watching.

Around the nation, students sing and dance in school auditoriums. Our youth perform as prescribed in front of audiences made up of Moms, Dads, Guardians, siblings, Principals, the and Press. All are invited. Traditionally, there is an understanding; Playwrights penned the scripts. The young practiced “their” lines. Each adopted a role. All is staged. We sit and smile, excited and entertained. A chance to escape the reality of our lives.

Thankfully, some adults understood and continue to comprehend that feelings stifled [“stuffed”] still survive. Our youth need to be who they are as they are. We all need to think and feel freely. Happiness and good health come when we are real, open, and honest about hurts; hiding does not allow for healing. Let it be, or better yet, let our youth breathe! Relief rather than restraint.

In 2006, concerned citizens in Philadelphia decided that while there is power in performances, “plays” can be confining. Young people need to have a voice, their voice in our society.

Their words and ways can serve as a necessary catalyst for social change. Cultural and ethnic diversity and positive self-esteem would also come if a safe haven, not only for expression, but for connections was provided. And so it came to be. The Philly Youth Poetry Movement [PYPM] saw the pain written on was born.

The Philly Youth Poetry Movement [PYPM] performed at the annual George School Art for Relief benefit in Langhorne, PA, which raised funds to support PYPM programs.[2011]

The Philly Youth Poetry Movement (PYPM) is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a safe space for Philadelphia teens to discover the power of their voices through spoken word and literary expression. PYPM was founded in 2006 at a time when there were no local poetry events dedicated to youth poets who wanted to write and perform. As the only youth poetry organization in the city, PYPM offers literary arts education programs and mentoring to youth ages 13-19 that promote creative expression, critical literacy, life skills, and leadership.

We believe that when youth take ownership of their voices, they take ownership over themselves. Through free weekly workshops, monthly slams, national/local performance opportunities, mentoring and community service, we provide a space where youth use their voices to bring about both personal and social transformation.