On November 3, 1999, learners from Project Read shared their words
and prose during an open mike at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley.
The night was lively–the poetry flowed like music!
The invitation to read at La Peña
was extended last June by Jackline Rago, a musician with The Snake Trio,
the group that has played at a number of our recent parties. After
receiving the invitation, we moved into action by presenting a series of
poetry classes facilitated by Amy Prevedel. Learners were captivated by
the power that simple words could have and the impact they could make by
writing their own verse.
Project Read poets Pearl Brown, Cornell
James, Moana Miglietta, Anthony Shedd and Project Read’s own Leon Veal
were supported by Krista Hiser, Jeanne |
Lempert, Amy Prevedel, Deb Werner and Lynne Price, Project Read’s Instruction
Supervisor. After being welcomed by host Blake Tolbert, each poet read
two
pieces–and did they ever read!!! La Peña’s audience enthusiastically
received each reader. Afterwards, audience members approached learners,
asking questions about their poems and their participation in Project Read,
and congratulated them for their fantastic recitations in front of a live
audience.
We are proud of the work the learners
presented to a live audience that night. We want to offer our special thanks
to Jackline Rago and La Peña Cultural Center for the invitation.
We look forward to presenting another Poetry Workshop and Open Mike Poetry
Reading in the spring of 2000. |
