Forward Arts Comes Home to Humanities Amped

Dear Friends of Forward Arts and Humanities Amped,

In September 2005, a youth poetry program was created that has sustained Baton Rouge for 14 years by creating spaces where the voices and lives of young people matter. Initially, the program was called WordPlay Teen Writing Project, and it was housed at the Big Buddy Program. In 2012, it became Forward Arts, an independent 501(c)(3). Those of you who have been involved over the years with us know that the mission of this work, to foster personal and social transformation through literary arts education and youth development, has never changed.

Photos by Christopher Diaz

While Forward Arts has undergone some significant changes over the last year in the face of funding shortages, we remain dedicated to keeping these valuable programs active for the young people we serve and the community as a whole. Therefore, we’re excited to announce that starting this fall, Humanities Amped, with whom Forward Arts has always shared a common mission and founding leadership, will be the new home for Forward Arts programs. 

As part of this transition, you can look forward to:

• 80+ youth poetry workshops at McKinley, Broadmoor, Belaire High Schools & Westdale Middle through our poetry residency program with EBR school system. FA alumni will serve as apprentice teachers alongside FA veteran staff in these workshops.
  
  
• Fresh Heat open mic nights in November 2019 & March 2020.
  
  
• Call & Response: Tiny Talks with Radical Intent, a November event featuring poems by five extraordinary local youth poets paired with short talks from scholars and community leaders on the critical issues raised in youth writing.     
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• Poetry workshops and performances incorporated at the Humanities Amped fall & spring conferences, reaching 750+ students in EBR schools.
  
  
• South La. Writing Leaders Cohort 2020, 20 emerging writing leaders in South Louisiana will gain the toolkit and support needed to lead writing programs that promote healing and community development.

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As we kick off this year, you are invited to join us on October 10th from 4-7 pm at the Forward Arts Poetry Family Reunion, a casual get-together to connect, talk about plans for the coming year, and learn how to stay involved as we continue to work together to shape the future of youth spoken word in Baton Rouge. RSVP above.

​Sincerely,

Anna West, PhD
Executive Director, HA

Susan Weinstein, PhD
Board President, HA

Desireé Dallagiacomo
​Poetry Educator, HA

Donney Rose
Poetry Educator, HA

Chancelier “xero” Skidmore
Arts Council of BR

Betsy Irvine
​Board Member, HA & FA