The Power of Creativity - InsideOut Literary Arts

“When we write, we are bringing what’s inside of us out into the world.”

That quote belongs to a 10th-grade student and is proudly displayed on the website of InsideOut Literary Arts, a non-profit dedicated to bringing out the creativity in kids all over Detroit.

Founded in 1995, InsideOut is the biggest and oldest literary-based non-profit in Detroit. InsideOut’s founder, Terry Blackhawk, a Detroit Public Schools teacher, created the non-profit to share the gift of writing creatively with her students.

“I thought, ‘If I’m asking them to do this, I should have the same experience myself,’” Blackhawk said. “I fell in love with it. I became a poet.”

InsideOut staff receiving the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, presented by Michelle Obama in 2009. Photo courtesy of InsideOut’s website.

InsideOut works with students, both in school and after school. Students are mentored by volunteers that help them to better their writing and get published at a young age. Students in the writer-in-residence mentoring program have their works featured in professionally published literary journals at every school the program works with each year.

InsideOut also offers after school programs such as their popular Citywide Poets group. Citywide Poets allows teens access to weekly writing workshops, professional writing help, and both publishing and performance opportunities.

Students with InsideOut, particularly those interested in poetry, have gotten the opportunity to share their work across the country. You can view many of those performances on the non-profit’s YouTube channel.

“Poetry is a way to tell my feelings and just be myself instead of trying to fit in with everybody else,” said Zuri, a student who participates in Citywide Poets. “I can be my own rainbow with different colors. Instead of the standard red, orange, yellow, I can be pink, black, and green.”

If you’re interested in working with young poets like Zuri or helping other children share their creativity, click here to learn more about InsideOut’s volunteer program.

Tags:

#InsideOutLiteraryArts #Detroit #MentoringYouth #Art #CitywidePoets #Poetry