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Southern Word School Program

Southern Word School Program

November 14, 2019

Unstoppable – Uno1take

Unstoppable – Uno1take

July 11, 2019

Carmen – Forever Thing

Carmen – Forever Thing

January 13, 2019

In The News

southern_word

We offer creative solutions for youth to build literacy skills, reconnect to their education and lives, and serve as leaders.

This the Lost & Found tonight, a monthly evening o

This the Lost & Found tonight, a monthly evening of artistry put on by Southern Word alum @rbqnashville. Put it on your calendar for second Thursday next month if you are over 21.

#lostandfound #southernword #rosemary #rosemarybeautyqueen #poetry #singersongwriters #spokenword #openmic

Middle Tennessee Grand Slam Final is the last qual

Middle Tennessee Grand Slam Final is the last qualifier of this spring. Today. Come catch 5 counties of poetry on Saturday, April 26 at TSU at 6pm.

Link for tickets in bio.

#poetry #poetryslam #openmic #teenwriters #teenwritersofinstagram #franklinhighschool #middletennessee #southernword

Join us tonight at 5:30pm at Nashville School of t

Join us tonight at 5:30pm at Nashville School of the Arts (@nsa.school.official )for a Celebration of Writing with Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum and the Writers of NSA as they share their writing.

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum is an award-winning author, editor, and ghostwriter with numerous books of poetry, literary and genre fiction, creative non-fiction, and non-fiction to his name. A native Nashvillian, he is the author of three poetry collections, Fight or Flight, Visiting Hours and Ghost Gear; Producer and Host of the Nashville Poetry Party, and Founder & Editor of PoemoftheWeek.com. He lives in Cleveland Park with his wife (who he met at Hume-Fogg) and is stepdad to their three wonderful children and a true-nuisance of a dog.

Visit southernword.org to learn more. #teenwriters #nashvilleauthors #youthvoice

Hume Fogg All School Poetry Slam today. Never ever

Hume Fogg All School Poetry Slam today. Never ever fails!

@humefoggofficial @tnartscommission

The Stratford Writers’ Room @stratfordstem was f

The Stratford Writers’ Room @stratfordstem was filled last night for the Davidson County Grand Slam Final. Greatest victory was had by all the first time poets stepping up to the mic and now hungry for more. It’s contagious. Show up thinking you don’t want to be at the mic, and then all of a sudden you realize you can and you do.

Congratulations to Eli and Lottie who tied for first and Isa who placed third.

Thank you to @mlkroyals and @tennesseeartscommission partnering on and sponsoring the event.

Save Saturday, April 26 at 6pm for the statewide final which will include poets from Davidson, Coffee, McNairy, Williamson, Knox, and Shelby counties. Not to miss.

#southernword #spokenword #poetry #openmic #slam #youthopenmic #teenopenmic #teenwriters #teenpoetryslam

Davidson County Grand Slam Final in 1 hour at 5pm

Davidson County Grand Slam Final in 1 hour at 5pm in the Stratford Writers’ Room in partnership with Martin Luther King Academic Magnet. Not too late to come through. 1800 Stratford Ave.

@stratfordstem @mlkroyals

Thank you to Laquita Stribling for inviting Sarah

Thank you to Laquita Stribling for inviting Sarah Anderson and 2025 Nashville Youth Poet Laureate Violet Hansen to compose an original piece celebrating women and women leaders at the 2025 Nashville Athena Awards.

@nashvilleathena @laquitapronouncedlakeyta
@freddiefornashville @urbanwordnyc @1city4allpeople @nowatnpl.studio

Thank you to CM Joy Styles @stylesfor32 for inviti

Thank you to CM Joy Styles @stylesfor32 for inviting Nashville Youth Poet Laureate Violet Hansen for her first performance of her tenure at the Metro Women’s Caucus Reception honoring the very worthy Judge Calloway as Woman of the Year. @sheilacalloway.2014 .

@mayorofnashvilletn @nowatnpl @nowatnpl.studio @1city4allpeople @urbanwordnyc

Calling all Tennessee teens! Got something to say?

Calling all Tennessee teens! Got something to say? This is your moment. Step up and spit your truth at one of Southern Word's regional Grand Slams. Whether you write to be heard, to heal, or just because you love the craft, this stage is yours. Sign up now to perform, compete, and connect with other young poets. Who knows where this leads, but we see stepping up to the mic taking young people places. Link in bio or visit www.southernword.org.

#teenpoets #youthvoice #teenartists #spitpoet #poetry #slam #poetryslam

We presented at the national @amchp_dc conference

We presented at the national @amchp_dc conference this morning, making the case for centering and destigmatizing mental health conversations during the school day through poetry. This is a case we know is a huge opportunity nationally as well as the continued unrealized opportunities at home in Tennessee. It’s hard to stay quiet about this resource and tool as we see so many young people navigate their way with it.

Don’t keep sleeping on this.

Thank you to Tennessee Youth Poet Laureate Mel Dalili and veteran mentor Tia Smedley for making the trip and representing the amazing Southern Word community.

Thank you to the Tennessee Department of Health who saw this, acted, and invited us to present.

The Tennessee Youth Poet Laureate program is made possible in partnership with Urban Word and the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.

#teenmentalhealth #teenmentalhealthsupport #teenpoetry #teenwriters #teenwritersofinstagram #youthvoice #poetryeducation #southernword

Southern Word is excited to partner with Tucker-Bl

Southern Word is excited to partner with Tucker-Bloom (@tuckerbloom). Tucker-Bloom has created a custom Southern Word VG+ tote constructed of navy duck canvas featuring a large interior pocket with a slip for interior organization. Two side pockets offer storage for your choice of beverage and a brass zippered pocket on the outside for your valuables. These LIMITED edition totes are available at TONIGHT's Lost & Found event at (@rbqnashville) from 7 pm-10 pm for a minimum donation of $75. 100% of which is donated to support Southern Word. Don't miss out!

Wonderful open mic today @nsapublications with hos

Wonderful open mic today @nsapublications with host Jadyn Marshall. So many amazing writers and voices.

#openmic #openmics #nashvillepoetry #teenpoetry #teenwriterscommunity #teenwritersofinstagram #southernword #spokenword

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January 29, 2024

2025 Youth Summer Employment

-Southern Word

September 17, 2024

2025 Nashville Youth Poet Laureate Application Available

-Southern Word

March 18, 2024

Meet Our Grantee-Partner: Southern Word

-The Poetry Foundation

May 15, 2024

The reason we can’t breathe’: Nashville Youth Poet Laureate takes on book bans and arming teachers

-Cynthia Abrams, 90.3 WPLN

Publications

Embrace the Rain

Poems from the Adolescents of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 2024

Unstuck in Time

Anthology of Writing by Stratford STEM Magnet Students, 2023

An Odyssey to Peace

Poems from the Adolescents of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 2023

Poems from the Adolescents of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 2020

Mystical and Made of Glass

Poems from the Adolescents of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 2019

Voyages and Visitors

Stories and poems by the teen writers at Studio NPL and Southern Word, 2019

Reflections Unseen

Poems from the Adolescents of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 2018

On This Complicated Planet

Stories and poems by the teen writers at Studio NPL and Southern Word, 2018

Empty and Beautiful, Yet Full of the Sea

Poems from the Adolescents of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 2017