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Outreach Programs |
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Curbstone’s staff and many of its authors have long been convinced of the personal and cultural impact creative literature can have on readers, particularly on young readers. Imagine you had never fallen in love with a book, never encountered the one that immediately spoke to your experience, whose language grabbed you, unexpectedly opening new vistas of knowledge and intellectual curiosity for you. Imagine you had never owned a book of your own before, or heard poetry read aloud. What if it had just never occurred to you, and no one ever suggested, that your own ability to read and write might be important–not just to get a job or survive in "modern society"–but because you might have something worth saying, that your voice matters? If you were born into a family that happened to stress the importance of reading and writing at home, and a school system that had the time and resources to cultivate each students’ individual talents and interests, it might seem strange to try imagining the above, that is, to try not taking for granted one’s literacy and access to books. Unfortunately for many young people, it is not strange at all to think of books, of reading and writing, as something they have to learn (or avoid when possible) in order to get by, rather than as something potentially empowering and fulfilling. There’s a lot more at stake in a young person’s attitude toward reading and writing than might first appear to be the case. Literacy is a form of civic, social, and personal enfranchisement, not just a set of practical skills. While society tells young people that they must become literate–that their futures, even the very measure of their social value–depend on it, at the same time society does very little to nurture and support a general literary culture, one that is open to everyone and would give the majority of kids a reason to learn to read and write. Indeed, a book donated through "Living Literature in the Schools" is often the first a student has ever personally owned. Reading a bilingual poetry book becomes the first occasion to see Spanish and English side-by-side in a published text. Meeting an author face-to-face to talk about his or her work, and learning about writing and reading as something integral to their lives, can become their first positive experience of a community of readers and writers. Meeting an author who is bilingual, African American, Native American, or from another country, learning from their struggles and experiences, can be a life-changing encounter. Suddenly, books have a meaning, a real-life context, and their own ability to read and write gains a larger purpose. In 1996, the Press launched the Windham Area Poetry Project in partnership with the Windham Public Schools and the Windham Boxing Club & Youth Development Organization. WAPP brings writers into schools, social service agencies, prisons, senior facilities, and other community sites to conduct poetry workshops and discussions with local residents of all ages. The centerpiece of this program, an annual Poetry Festival, draws an audience from around the state to hear new and established poets read their work. And in partnership with the Neighborhood Revitalization Zone, we helped to launch the development of the Julia de Burgos Park in Willimantic. Curbstone presents a series of public poetry readings in the Julia de Burgos Park from May to early September. Please check out current activities at the "events" page.
“A newly immigrated student from the Dominican Republic, who was struggling with classes in English, has been totally transformed by her experience in Luis Rodríguez‘s workshop. She began writing her own poetry in Spanish, joined the poetry club, and quickly became more interested in her other classes as well. She was doing so well that I asked her to come along and read one of her poems at a ‘read your favorite poem’ event at a local college. She was nervous about reading in front of an audience in Spanish, but she received an overwhelmingly positive response from those who attended. The Vice Principal was so impressed with her writing that she sponsored her to represent Hartford High in our exchange program with Russia. That student came to my office recently and broke down in tears, saying...now she’s living her dream. Her encounter with Luis Rodríguez opened up a whole new world for her and, in turn, she is now contributing to the culture of the school.”
“Thank you so much for this wonderful experience! Naomi [Ayala] was enchanting, a compellingly powerful reader, speaker. I am convinced that the students in Rocío’s class came away form her workshop with a deeper sense of their particular political situation, keener insight and respect for the woman’s experience and inspiration in developing their own powerful voices.”
“[Ernesto Cardenal] was wonderful! The students enjoyed him...they were actively involved. I’m very happy that we have the golden opportunity to listen to and speak with such wonderful writers.”
“What I learned from Luis Rodríguez was the way people from different environments than mine have to try and cope with different situations than I would ever encounter. I also learned the stories behind the poems as well as why he wrote them.”
“I believe the workshops helped me with my writing. I have more insight for poetry, and also explored poetic prose. Before this, I thought I would not be good at it and avoided it.”
“I am happy that Ms. Mueller came to speak to our English class. Ms. Mueller was very interesting, and very open. I liked how she used her time for a question and answer period. I feel that Ms. Mueller gave us a great insight on how Japanese-Americans were treated in the camps. .... Also, I think that she was a good speaker because, unlike most adults that come to our school, Ms. Mueller talked to us, instead of down to us. I would like to say thank you for our opportunity to talk to her.”
“I learned about literary movements like the Harlem Renaissance and the Beat era. Musical rhythm can be used in writing poetry also.”
“[Ron Casanova] helped me understand a lot of things that are happening in the world. He helped me to realize that I should be thankful for everything I have and not to take anything for granted because there are a lot of people who aren’t as fortunate...I just want to tell Mr. Casanova thank you! for answering my questions and helping me to understand.”
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