Write on: The Word as Self-Expression

Students will study and consider written forms of self-expression, such as poetry, lyrics and fiction, by a diverse group of established writers in order to see how they develop their craft and deploy their creativity. Students will learn to write their own poems, songs/lyrics, short stories and more, plus they’ll discover how to read, recite and speak their own words to demonstrate their own creative empowerment and self-determination.

This class is for ages 12 & up

For questions regarding this class, please email [email protected]

Classes will take place at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning from 6:30pm to 8:00pm on the following dates:

October – 14th, 21st, 28th

November – 4th, 11th, 14th

December – 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd

January – 6th, 13th

Meet the Teaching Artist – Alano Baez (Prophet aka Not4Prophet) is a Latin soul sonero, hip-hop emcee, punk protest singer, seditious songwriter, graffiti writer/vandal, political playwright, actor-director, poet/barrio bard and committed community agitator. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, Spanish Harlem and Lower East Side, his first artistic medium was graffiti. Poetry on paper came next, then rhymes on a mic. He was lead singer of the iconic “Puerto punk” band Ricanstruction and emcee of the agit-rap group X-Vandals (with DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy). Currently, he’s cantante for the Salsabotuers. His books include Last of the Po’Ricans Y Otros Afro Artifacts, a collection of poetry; Mini-Manual for the Modern Day Machetero: A Poetic Polemic, a self-released set of political poems; and as Alano P. Baez, the plays Don’t Take Me Alive!, Trash Talk: A Play About Garbage, and Las Lolitas.