WDtS Online: Revolutionary Poetics

This class is free and you do not need to pay or apply for a scholarship. Instead, to join this class fill out This Form. DO NOT use any of the other buttons or links to apply to this class.

Because poetry, by definition, is political, poets cannot (and should not) strive to be apolitical. In this writing workshop, we will develop our writing craft while engaging in revolutionary political education, specifically as it relates to the Black Power and Black Arts Movements. Participants will read, watch, and listen to poetry, speeches, essays and music from iconic revolutionaries in an effort to truly understand the role of a revolutionary, the role of the artist, and when, where and how these roles intersect. Participants will explore works from icons such as Assata Shakur and Gwendolyn Brooks, and read modern poets that write on revolutionary themes, like Tongo-Eisen Martin and Danez Smith. Writers will also be encouraged to call on their own lived experience and consider how our political lifestyles impact how we show up as artists and, inevitably, how we show up as humans. All writers of all levels of experience are welcome!

Who Should Register?

Write Down the Street has a special focus on making the creative writing workshop more accessible to those who face challenges due to cost, language skills, lack of access to transportation, and other barriers. We believe that all voices must be spotlighted with the range and fullness they deserve.

These programs are offered tuition-free thanks to the support of generous donors who are committed to our mission of ensuring all voices are heard.

About GrubStreet Remote Classes

All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! You’ll receive an email from your instructor on the day your class is scheduled with a link to join the class meeting via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information! 

For a glimpse at how remote learning works, look no further than the deep Zoom discussion of writing and literature below: