Executive Director, Young Chicago Authors
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photo by steed media service
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As
young girl, C.C. Carter used poetry as a way to defend and empower
herself. When the kids at school teased Carter about her full figure,
poems like Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman,” taught her the importance
of words and the power of self-expression.
Today, the accomplished slam poet and teacher is the executive director
of Young Chicago Authors. Through Y.A.C., Carter inculcates important
life skills to underprivileged youth via slam poetry. “To be able to
articulate a point in three minutes flat – oftentimes people don’t see
that as a skill set that you can develop,” Carter says. [The kids]
develop some very critical skills sets that they can transfer to
whatever career they decide to go in.”
Currently Carter is prepping her kids for the Louder Than a Bomb teen
poetry slam on Feb. 20. Teens from 50 high schools and 10 local
organizations will participate in the slam and have a chance to hone
their performances for the upcoming national competition, Brave New
Faces.
“You hear about everything in regards to violence and youth and what
are we going to do with them,” Carter says. “When you see over 500 kids
gathered together in an arena and it’s not about race or ethnicity or
orientation [and] they’re not calling each other out – there’s hope for
the future.”
Even more telling is the effect the competition has on its young
participants. “I know what it can do for kids who have come from
marginalized lives, who are often told, ‘Children should be seen and
not heard.’ What spoken word does for them is give them a chance to be
heard and to speak,” Carter says. –gavin philip godfrey
For more information, please visit www.youngchicagoauthors.com.
