“Clearing the Air”- Holding a Dialogue About Social Injustice Alyssa Martinez Tonika Boston, LMSW

The History Behind Spoken Word Originated from three poignant traditions within African American history- the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement and the Beat Movement. According to the Black Youth Project, it is described as: “spoken word poetry sprang loosely from the expressive energies of the blues, the Harlem Renaissance, and hip- hop music which had each permeated black communities throughout America over the course of the century.”

The History Behind Spoken Word In the late 1960s, Black Arts Movement author and scholar of Black American theatre and drama, Larry Neal (1968) wrote, “A main tenet of Black Power is the necessity for Black people to define the world in their own terms.” He argued that the modern artist of his day had a need “to confront the contradictions” of his lived experience in the context of Western racism. Present-day spoken word has created a new democratic space—an open urban venue to explore issues of equity and social justice through live performance and audiovisual media. Spoken word has developed “a profound ethical sense that makes a Black artist question a society in which art is one thing and the actions of men another.” As Smithsonian Folkways (2015) asserts, words are powerful entities, drivers of emotion, intellectual freedom, and a conduit of experimental learning for the speaker and spoken to.

The History Behind Spoken Word Viewing spoken word as a contemporary form of expressing one’s setting through an artistic style of culture- and history-laden verse, it offers a unique discussion for examining the continuing educational problems embedded in practices and expectations that reflect conventional thinking in our current society and schooling.

Consent Despite the fact that sexual violence/abuse/assault has decreased by 50% within the last two decades there is still work that needs to be done! According to statistics, every 92 seconds an American is assaulted and every 9 minutes the victim of an assault is a child. Some students may have unhealthy coping methods so it is imperative to create that safe space for them. There are also different stigmas associated with sexual assault. Ex: WOC being more “promiscuous” Trainings and continuous conversations around consent in schools, not only educates young men of color to respect and support healthy boundaries that women of color may have, but it also creates liberatory spaces for young women to be able to express themselves in safe spaces in regards to their body images, gender orientation and sexuality.

Black Privilege Highlights the daily struggles that POC and students of color endure in their realities- racism (all the forms), police brutality, ignorance, poverty, abuse, etc. Many school systems do little to intentionally address the need for racial equity for students of color or bring direct attention to the atrocities that these students and their families live through. There is a need to create a culture and implement structures within the school environment that support open and continuous dialogue around issues that impact students of color and how schools can serve as a genuine safe space for students to not only learn, but to actualize their potentials and transcend their everyday struggle.

Push Out A piece inspired by the book “Push Out” which talks about prison pipelining and the unfair treatment of black girls in school Black students are 4 times more likely to be suspended than their white counterparts. There needs to be more inquiry and work around decreasing these rates. Nearly 48% of black girls who are expelled nationwide do not have educational services. Black girls are 16 percent of the female student population, but nearly one third of all girls referred to law enforcement and more than one third of all female school-based arrests. A 2012 report on race and gender in schools has recognized that the school to prison pipeline needs to be inclusive on statistics around Black girls in schools.

The Late Flower that Bloomed Piece is centered around Self love, acceptance and growth. Students will have higher grades and better academic performance when they feel better about themselves and the work they produce. There is still a high need for balance within educational settings, where a student of color’s academic potential is not the sole focus, but how the cultivation of strengthening their self esteem and racial/ethnic/cultural identities as well impact their development into more confident, well rounded individuals.

The Relevance of Spoken Word Poetry in Educational Settings The current educational system does not fully utilize pedagogy that allows students of color to develop a health sense of identity (racial or otherwise) and respect to differences and diversity and in a sense are symbolically enslaved into a standardized way of thinking. Because the use of metaphor is significant in Spoken Word poetry, it is often seen as a way to highlight racial and social injustices that impact the lives of students of color. Narratives that challenge racism in spoken word poetry emerge as strong metaphorical representations relating to the lived experiences and educative experiences in the poetic accounts of Black American artists. Developing a curriculum around spoken word poetry can present a platform for student of color to illustrate their individual experiences in an artistry that will not only embolden them to discuss injustices that they endure, but also empower them to help in deconstructing systemic racism in educational settings and promote social justice that builds equity within their school environments.

Alyssa Martinez Alyssa Martinez is a spoken word artist from the Bronx. She is an affiliate of Girl Be Heard. She has performed amongst and for other artists as well. She has been apart of the Hamilton Education Program and performed for First Lady Michelle Obama as well the New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer. Alyssa is not only an writer but an actress too. She uses her art as a way to communicate with others and inspire those within her community. You can follow Alyssa’s work on Instagram @ lilo_marz.

Tonika Boston, LMSW Tonika is a graduate of the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, where she earned her MSW with concentrations in both Clinical and Forensic social work. Her focus in the last 4 years has been within school social work, where she has implemented counseling programs that service Black and Brown students in school settings within the NYC DOE. Her current passion and work revolve around building awareness and supportive structures around the need for cultural responsiveness, social justice and racial equity within educational settings that service Black and Brown students. For further inquiries, you can contact Tonika at: Tonika.Boston@gmail.com.