A New Year

After a full semester of programming with over 25 Pitzer College students and over 120 Camp AP students, we completed a beautiful, eighty-page publication of poetry. Our semester culminated in an exciting spoken word open mic event at Pitzer. At this performance, complete with local community poets, delicious food, live music and MC'd by your's truly, eight of our Camp AP students were released and escorted in shirts and ties from the Camps to partake in this night. The probation staff of the Camp and the staff school were so inspired by the diversity and power of the voices at the Borrowed Voices performance that they asked me to recreate the same event on the Camp AP grounds, to allow all of our students to participate. "We'll call it Bringing Borrowed Voices Back Home", they said. The school counselor was so excited about our event that he asked the school to funding ice cream sundaes for all of the students. Before I knew it, I was dishing up ice cream and chocolate syrup to some very excited Camp AP wards.

After a bit of a vacation, I return to my office to do it all again. This work is never-ending but also ever-changing. And despite some of the frustrations and painful realities and there are rewards all along the way. Today I received one such reward, in the form of a letter on my desk.

Dear Borrowed Voices,

I am Marshall G. Some of you may know me, some might not. I am a minor at Camp Paige, I got a six month sentence. During my stay here at Camp Paige I participated in the Borrowed Voices program. I never really like poetry until I realized poetry is what you make it. It also is another way of rap, but a much slower rhythm. Poetry can be the way you feel, it doesn't have to be butterflys and rainbows, I learned that from you guys. I write rap, and learning how to write poetry helped me in many different ways. Anyways, I'm writing to thank you guys and let you know that I appreciate the help you gave me.

I think you guys should keep up the program. It keeps minors away from trouble and educates them also. I go home soon so I might not be here next time you guys come. I love writing poetry now and I wrote a poem to my mom, my sister and my niece. I also write poetry when I'm sad and when I'm mad; it helps me release my anger without resorting to violence.

Anyways, thanks a lot,

Marshall