Student Work

From a SpeakTogether virtual workshop, Talent Unlimited High School, Spring 2020

This poem was composed during a six-week session conducted by author and spoken word artist Sheri Booker, who worked with a class of 10th-grade students to develop their voices. This workshop took place during a global pandemic, a national lockdown, and uprisings across the country to end police brutality and structural racism. Read more about the works in this collection, which are artifacts of this period and a true testament to the vision, creativity, and resilience of these students.

Listen to a recording of the following poem above. 

Diverse

by Everlyn Sislema

Millions of people
Beautiful bright cultures all around
It is enjoyable
To experience many backgrounds

Customs for boys and girls
The different fun celebrations
Quinceñeras with twirls
Bar mitzvahs with decorations

The good diverse desserts
When people tend to eat a ton
Girls with beautiful skirts
Fashion like a rainbow illusion

Our creative cultures
Make us unique yet unified
Like sisters and brothers
It’s the way we identify

Evelyn Sislema was a sophomore at Talented Unlimited High School in NYC at the time of this recording.