Zooming In: Poetry as an Entry Point into Violence Prevention Work
Presented by:Poetry is often about taking big, abstract concepts and “translating” them into concrete images and stories. This process, as useful as it is for poets and other artists, is also deeply connected to activism and advocacy. Where more and more young people understand and can “talk the talk” with regards to rape culture and gender violence, that talk isn’t always connected to organizing efforts or advocacy work. This discussion will focus on what it might mean to “translate” that understanding into action. How do we (especially those of us just starting out in this work) take big, overwhelming issues and problems and break them down into approachable, actionable pieces? How might those of us who have been doing this work make that process more approachable for youth and others just entering into the conversation? What might an arts-informed gender violence prevention practice look like? Spoken word (as practice and culture) offers a few potential entry points into this conversation.