Urgent inc B Fly zine

B-FLY APRIL 2017

#RITESOFPASSAGE THIS WOMAN'S WORK

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH FINDING THE PATH TO HIP HOP

POETRY BY YOUTH

#OURVOICE MATTERS

INTO THE WILD WITH SIERRA CLUB

APRIL 2017 | ISSUE NO. 3

RITES OF PASSAGE MEDIA PROJECT

RITES OF PASSAGE TEAM PHOTO CREDITS Monica Bissainthe, Angene Bien-Aime, Withlee Delva, Dieudanie Douceur, Eveul Exil, Maurisha Laventure, Ashley Requena, Marcus Williams

Program funded by

SHEDIA NELSON Programs Manager/Artistic Director

LOREN DANIEL Youth Enrichment Facilitator

GAIL WILLINGHAM Academic Coach

AMBER AUSTIN

Programs Assistant

ERIKA DEL VILLAR Peer Educator

CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 581-7821 I F: 866-811-7778 FACEBOOK I WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC

APRIL 2017 | ISSUE NO. 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3-5 PHOTOGRAPHY 6 POETRY

9-16 YOUTH STORIES 17 SPECIAL EVENTS 18 ADVICE COLUMN

PHOTO SHOOT WITH FLORIDA FILM HOUSE

DIEUDANIE DOUCEUR Six Rites of Passage members spend their half day off from school learning how to take portraits of each other.

Thanks to industry professionals Marco and Bla G with Florida Film House who coached them through the process of photography techniques.

WITHLEE DELVA "I LIKED BEING ABLE TO TAKE PICTURES."

MAURISHA LAVENTURE "I LIKED THE WAY WE EXPRESSED OURSELVES THROUGH THE PICTURES I FELT LIKE I WAS TELLING A STORY." PHOTOGRAPHY / 3

Shine like a

#OURVOICEMATTERS BOOK LAUNCH a Collection of portraits and poetry by youth of URGENT, Inc.

diamond

! n u F g n i v a H

"OUR VOICE MATTERS" BOOK IS ON SALE NOW

"I want to be a better me."

- Monica Bissainthe

BUY YOUR LIMITED EDITION COPY TODAY www.urgentinc.org Https://FS3.FORMSITE.COM/URGENTINC/FORM26/INDEX.HTML

PHOTOGRAPHY / 5 PAGE 06

THE SAGE

BY ASHLEY REQUENA

Taking the spoils of a war you have not fought

She is Sage and on this stage

have not given thought to the lands needs to the

she shall perform a miracle

people's pleas and to the blood we bleed

Of breathing

that then becomes one

Knowing that with every inhale she lets in depression

with the earth and becomes a seed

oppression pain blood and the buds of hatred And knowing that with every exhale she adds on to it

The sage knows that just like the universe life came

Feeding it her unchecked rage her stubborn insolence

from darkness first

And her intolerance

Ain't it funny how life's origin comes to die at the

For more violence in actions

biased hands of the people's protectors?

For more silence in reactions

n color

And for less justice

The sage knows

She lets it aggravate her like a sore

The sage has seen people drown in oppression the

until she can open the door and demand,

color of rust brown water and has seen them die when

screams for the dreams of a generation's echo

unnecessarily asking for mercy

She lets it fill her worth in wisdom

With hands up

in war experiences that they never volunteered

The sage has seen loud people disappear without a

for but learned how to be young soldiers any way

word to be heard and still be commanded to remain

The sage has seen her people die

silent

in a friendly fire the color of red

Has seen oppression follow a generation for a hood yet

And white

refuse to be asked about their own

And blue

Has seen an ocean's worth

And although this sage is not a pacifist

like the ones that carried us what seems like eons ago

even a savage can see that you have labeled

this sage knows

the people all savages and have claimed yourselfs the

How do you think she became a sage?

savviest

PAGE 7

Enroll Today!

FOR MORE DETAILS CALL SHEDIA NELSON AT (305) 586-6694

TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH Georgia Jones-Ayers Middle School - The Rites of Passage ambassador team presented on teen dating violence at the 9th annual No More Broken Hearts event providing awareness on domestic violence. The event is hosted by Dr. Dorothy BendrossMindingall, school board member for district 2.

Angene Bien-Aime liked the presentation and thought "everything was good."

Marcus Williams who filled in with the presentation "loves everything we do."

"I LIKE SHARING KNOWLEDGE TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT." - ASHLEY REQUENA

STORIES / 9

HOW MEDIA INFLUENCES CHOICES ABOUT SMOKING & DRUGS

"I LOVED THE LESSON AND I THINK IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT."

"I LIKE DISCUSSING THESE THINGS."

STORIES / 10

CAMPING IN THE EVERGLADES Everglades National Park - Five campers enjoyed an adventurous weekend in the wild in alligator holes, canoeing, moonlight walk along an alligator trail, roasting marshmallows on a camp fire. The weekend started with learning how to pitch their tent in the dark. The campers were joined by Rites of Passage alumni Nanotte St. Jean who looks forward to camping with Rites of Passage and Sierra Club's ICO Miami.

Norzillia Mezinord learned "that I can be brave." Edeline Mezinord learned "how to properly make s'mores!" and "I liked going in the alligator hole and canoeing." Ernalyn Thony enjoyed cooking dinner as she normally doesn't do so at home. She realized "I can do anything I put my mind to."

STORIESÂ /Â 11

18

ATTIC | JANUAR

BIKING IN BEAUTY Shark Valley, Everglades National Park -

Fresh squeezed sunshine poured on ten brave Rites of Passage members who braved a leisure bike ride in Shark Valley. Some of them mentioned they hadn't ridden a bike in almost 4 years and look forward to another bike ride adventure. Monica didn't believe Sierra Club leader Karen Kerr that alligators are docile until she witnessed a small alligator slowly cross the paved road with an amputated front leg. The gator crossed as half the group started was looking at some of the scenery while the other half was about to catch up. Everyone stood in awe as the alligator crossed the road. Monica became a believer that day about alligators.

They took on the 15 mile bike ride challenge while learning to live without being on their cellphone. The cool winds and stopping to

STORIES / 12

take pictures of the beautiful flowers and alligators made the trip worth it. Angel Joseph, a new member of Rites of Passage was the designated gator counter who counted 54 alligators including the cute little baby gators. Everyone enjoyed a scrumptious lunch while crows hovered around waiting for an opportunity to partake in their lunch. After lunch, they walked up a tower for a breath taking 360 degree view of the park.

For most of them, this was their first time visiting the Everglades. Maurisha Laventure appreciated "the fact that I could just leave the real world behind and just unplug."

Marcus Williams "like the team bonding and how important the Everglades is to protect." Dieudanie Douceur was surprised to see a snake crossing the road.

Finding the Path to Hip Hop An amazing new partnership with PATH (Preserving, Archiving and Teaching Hip-Hop) to Hip Hop has inspired musical talents in Rites of Passage. They wrote, arranged and recorded two songs. One of the songs will be used to score a PSA they will shoot this spring.

HIP HOPÂ /Â 13

They dropped this track at URGENT, Inc's 2nd annual This Woman's Work at Historic Ward Rooming House as part of celebrating women during women's history month. PATH has taught song composition, music arrangement, and spoken word.

Some of the youth comments include: "I loved going back to the history of hip hop."

"I especially like the hands on participation... I enjoyed it to the fullest!"

"I liked how we got to learn about each other.

I learned how beats were produced and what it takes to make one."

"I especially liked the poets, performance, musical production and this is one of the best piano slams I've witnessed."

-Ashley Requena

What have you learned about yourself?: "I am amazing!"

"I am creative and patient."

"I learned how I can work with others."

STORIESÂ /Â 14

1/2 DAY CAMP

FOR MORE DETAILS CALL SHEDIA NELSON AT (305) 586-6694

2ND ANNUAL THIS WOMAN'S WORK A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

BRONZE AWARDS RECOGNIZES INDIVIDUALS WHO DEMONSTRATE GUIDANCE, DIRECTION, SUPPORT & LIFT LIKE A GOOD BRA From ink to paper and setting fire to the mic with spoken word by talented Rites of Passage members, Angene Bien-Aime performed "This Woman's Work" and "Bullets" Eveul "Evo" Exil performed "Women are unique and phenomenal" and "America's True Colors" that set the tone for the event. Additional poets from URGENT, Inc's FACE (Film Arts & Culture Entrepreneurship) youth development program performed a group spoken word piece. They dropped a track they wrote and recorded with PATH to Hip Hop to score a PSA they will shoot this spring in partnership with Florida Film House entitled "What Matters?" One of the honorees included the compassionate Trynegwa Diggs, principal at Miami Edison senior high school who invited her students from Rites of Passage as she accepted her award. Additional bronze bra recipients include: Dr. Guerda Nicolas, Dean of School of Education at University of Miami, Miami Dade Young Lawyer's Association: Horizons committee, Circle of Brotherhood.

PAGE 16

Special Events MAR This Woman's Work 3 Women's History Month

Career Panel & mock interviews APR Coordinated by Miami Dade Young 15 Lawyer's Association Horizons Committee

APR Spring Break - April 10-14 Film Boot Camp

MAY Program Graduation 13 & Community Art Expo

15

Summer Paid Internship June 19 - July 28th

EVENTS / 17

ADVICE COLUMN / 18