Detroit, MI — InsideOut Literary Arts, an award-winning organization headquartered in Detroit, announced the winners of its 2021 Performance Troupe supported by Toyota Motor North America. The Performance Troupe is part of the organization’s Citywide Poets afterschool program, which provides teens with weekly creative writing workshops, publications, and performance opportunities. For over two decades, InsideOut Literary Arts has reached more than 65,000 students in schools throughout Metro Detroit and published nearly 500 school literary journals.
Students Algeonay Angelica, Fiona Colson, Alayae Hicks, Cassidy Howard and Ife Martin rose to the top as winners of the 2021 Youth Performance Troupe competition. The Performance Troupe will be led by Coach LaShaun Phoenix Moore, a Detroit-based vocalist, spoken word artist and culture creator who will help them fine tune their skills.
InsideOut’s Performance Troupe is comprised of students in the Citywide Poets program who strive to further develop their skills in self-expression and performance, under the direct guidance and support from coaches. Through a competitive submission process, four to five students are selected annually. These talented teens have opportunities to grow their craft, work with professional writers as mentors, perform to wide-reaching audiences, and become spokespeople for the power of youth voice.
“Through the transforming power of the written and spoken word, paired with unique performance opportunities to a diverse range of audiences, students learn that creativity, voice and expression are critical tools that can shift paradigms and change the circumstances that affect their lives,” said Suma Karaman Rosen, executive director, InsideOut Literary Arts. “Poetry takes students to college, to the White House, and renowned stages in life. Our mission is to inspire students to think broadly, create bravely and share their voices with the wider world. We are truly grateful to Toyota for supporting our year-long Performance Troupe program.”
Through InsideOut’s programming, 94% of teachers surveyed said it improved student’s writing and critical thinking skills; 80% of InsideOut students demonstrated improved reading comprehension after taking part in the program; and 83% of the InsideOut students said they applied what they learned about writing in other classes. Students have gone on to be journalists, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights.
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