Our Lives Matter: The Ballou Story Project

by Kyle Dargan (Foreword by), Kathy Crutcher (Editor), Ballou High School Writers

Overview

Through the course of a historic year of civil unrest and the emergence of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, thirty teen writers from Frank W. Ballou High School in Washington, DC came together to take part in this national conversation about race, inequality, violence, and justice. Through their powerful, personal stories these writers intend to Change the Narrative about youth of color. We are not thugs, they say. We are not victims. We are big sisters and sports stars, academic strivers and everyday heroes. We speak out for justice. We dream big dreams. These writers want more for themselves, more for their community, more for their generation. And they are challenging their readers to listen, and to recognize in each story a common humanity worthy of dignity, support, and respect. This riot of voices must be heard.

These books were created in collaboration between the students of Ballou High School and Shout Mouse Press. Learn more at www.shoutmousepress.org

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780692455388
Publisher:	Shout Mouse Press, Inc.
Publication date:	05/20/2015
Series:	Ballou Story Project , #2
Pages:	88
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

KYLE DARGAN is the author of four collections of poetry, Honest Engine (2015), Logorrhea Dementia (2010), Bouquet of Hungers (2007) and The Listening (2003)--all published by the University of Georgia Press. For his work, he has received the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and grants from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Dargan has partnered with the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities to produce poetry programming at the White House and Library of Congress. He's worked with and supports a number of youth writing organizations, such as 826DC, Writopia Lab and the Young Writers Workshop. He is currently an Associate Professor of literature and director of creative writing at American University, as well as the founder and editor of POST NO ILLS magazine. Originally from Newark, New Jersey, Dargan is a graduate of Saint Benedict's Prep, The University of Virginia and Indiana University.

Kathy Crutcher is the founder of Shout Mouse Press, a nonprofit publishing house for unheard voices. She has been mentoring young writers since 2003 and is passionate about empowering others to tell their stories. Prior to founding Shout Mouse, Kathy was the DC Director for Writopia Lab and taught writing at the University of Kentucky and University of Arizona. Her own writing has earned recognition from places like the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities as well as fellowships to writing programs in Kenya and Prague. Kathy received her BA from Duke University and her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. She has also completed the Nonprofit Management Certificate Program at Georgetown University.

These writers are students at Frank W. Ballou High School in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast DC.