Acknowledgments

Thank you to every youth poet who contributed their powerful words to this book. Shout out to the staff at various schools who allowed us to present our spoken word poetry workshops during the 2020-2021 school year. Special thank you to the Caring for Denver Foundation, Rose Community Foundation, and the City of Denver for providing the funding necessary to publish, celebrate, and distribute books of poetry written by underserved youth as part of our school-based programs (workshops and open mic events), all to encourage creative expression that reduces isolation, increases self-confidence, and increases the use of poetry and spoken word for coping and resilience.

Foreword

Welcome to “Our Words Are Powerful,” a yearly youth-written book of poetry from the Denver area. As you have experienced, 2020-2021 has been a difficult time for all of us. Therefore, it makes sense that the theme for this year’s book is “The Struggle Is Real. So Is Our Resilience.” In this book, we want to remind us all of the importance of describing the real struggles we experience and the real struggle needed to overcome them. The double-meaning shows us that only through individual and collective struggle do people change their reality. As you will read, the youth who contributed their powerful words to this book are leaders who use spoken word poetry to work through their challenges while embracing the resiliency, hope, and determination they carry from their ancestors. They inspire us to do the same.

For those who do not know about our organization: Words To Power shows youth the power of their words through highly engaging and culturally relevant spoken word poetry workshops for underserved youth in elementary, middle, and high schools in the Denver metro area and throughout Colorado. As an extension of our workshops, we partner with schools to host open mic events featuring student participants and our poets. We publish a yearly youth-written poetry book and host a community showcase with contributors, offering underserved youth an authentic opportunity for academic excellence, creative expression, and community engagement.

The Words To Power logo draws inspiration from many sources. The overall structure is modeled after a corn plant, as our workshop curriculum uses it as a metaphor. The raised fist reminds us of our power to create change, as social justice movements before us have struggled to achieve. The scrolls on either side pull from Indigenous books in Mexico, as symbols of speech (thus the accompanying image from a codex of people talking to each other). Taken together, our words and power come from our roots.

Immigration by Nallely (age 10)

Have you ever heard a child cry for their mother? One night, they took her back to Mexico too with other parents, whose children were crying and saying, “Bring back my parents too.” They grow up with their parents to love them, but cry every night before bed scream in pain shouting loudly saying , “It’s hard to live without them! It's hard to live without them!” Too young to notice they can’t get a job, live in the streets with others who need a job and others who need a mom and dad to live with too. My name is Nallely.

I am grateful to have a roof and a family who loves me and food to eat too.

Change by Nallely (age 10)

Roses are red, violets are blue you ’re killing the earth and that's not good for me or you. Si ves un árbol muerto, ayúdalo. Plant a new one. Haz algo to change the world to save it from badness. People say that the world will end. It won’t, the human race will, if you don't change the world.

Dreams of Unity by David Sandoval (age 10)

I am bold, someone who can follow dreams, someone who stands up for others. I come from the dreams of my parents. When I look in the mirror, I see people teasing and laughing at me just because of my looks. In my dreams, I imagine peace, people who don’t tease others because of their skin. With our voices, we can stand up for one another. In our hands, we are all equally important. Together we are a team. We are unity.

Help by Camille Hendrixson (age 11)

March 12, when COVID hit, I was only 9 years old. Thinking it would be a flu, but it never went away. Tiktok, tiktok, the time flew by, online school and watching the news, saying that George Floyd died. The racism and the disrespect that is coming towards Black people, Hispanics, Asians, and LBGTQ+ people. We don't deserve the hate some are getting. We are people We need to help not to destroy the history of the future, for the people around me. Isn't it hard enough with COVID?

Powerful by Emelie Herrera (age 11)

I am a powerful girl ready to succeed in life. I come from a wonderful family. When I look in the mirror, I see a beautiful creative person. In my dreams, I imagine I can spread happiness all around the world. With our voices, we can speak up and stop racism. In our hand, we can carry joy and kindness. Together we are powerful and amazing. We are fantastic together.

My Race by Clement Yanney (age 12)

I am Clement. I come from the next generation, the generation of hope, opportunity, and grace. When I look in the mirror, I see a boy of another skin tone or another race. In my dreams, I imagine a boy trying to make the world a better place. I am an ace trying to win the race. In my world, I see smart kids trying to stay on pace. People say that life's not a race, go at your own pace. I'm on a race. So I say no to go at my own pace. I don’t have time to go at my pace. I'm on a race to the future with other people trying to take my place. I don't like when people are trying to cheat in my race. So together, if we use our voices and hold our hands, we will grasp onto this race because we are the race.

Our World by Yvanna Essengue (age 14)

I am a person of word, full of enthusiasm and interest about the world. Still it is hard to find that in me. It is hard to spot me with a smile, when the world has turned into the opposite of its shine. I come from the unknown, where little is known. When I look in the mirror, I see another version of me. I see what people want me to be.

I see somebody who is willing to take the risk and do whatever it takes to protect her kingdom, someone who is capable of changing the world, my world.

I see a warrior, but that's not who I am. In my dreams

I see people suffering. I see people cheering and praising me.

I see people crying and pleading for a protector, a leader.

I see people counting on me, because I know deep down, that I am the chosen. I have to be.

I can't let them down, especially now when they need me the most. If I don't do it, nobody will.

With our voices, we can change the unchangeable.

With our voices, we can let them know that we’re not scared of them. Because that is what they need...fear. That is where they get their strength. As long as we keep quiet, they are going to keep on going. But we won't let that happen because we are more than what they are. In our hands, we have so much to do. We can continue to grow the preciousness the previous generation had left behind and preserve it for future generations. We will climb to the highest peak of the mountain, even if it means losing our lives to get what they stole from us and we will not return empty handed. Together, we are going to unite and form one strong nation. We are going to fight till the end while holding hands. Our grip will be so firm that no one will be able to take away what we have because we are in this together. We are standing together. We are powerful. We are strong. We are one. This is where we belong.

Allegiance by Rosalyn (age 14)

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and for the republic for which it stands one nation under, divisible, with liberty and justice for almost all."

Why must I pledge to a flag that was built off the oppression of my ancestors?

Why should I pledge to a flag that doesn't even recognize that the real people of this land weren’t just ONE nation? We came from ALL nations.

Why should I pledge to a flag that claims "liberty and justice for all," when you don't even teach our history, but can teach our stereotypes?

America can claim to be the home of the brave and land of free but in reality it’s just a hard check that they have buried our history, stolen our women, killed our babies, emasculated our men and most of all, robbed us in all possible ways of our traditions and culture.

We are looked back on as a fragment of the past. We no longer exist, to the rest of society at least.

But what they don't know is I have a whole family among my community. The rest of America loves to call us dirty, worthless, savages, redskins but my people are resilient and have fought for many generations to keep our ways of life protected and the American way of life protected. However, that's the only time when the government chooses to acknowledge us in a good way.

We have spent time fighting for America because we know that America was born on our land. Yet, they refuse to fight for us.

SO YES AMERICA, I REFUSE TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO YOU.

Dreams Full of Fear by Leslie Macias (age 15)

In my dreams, I hope to escape a reality that is so cruel. But the power I withhold at night will not make things easy for me. There are some parts in my life that I wish I had forgotten. But they are burning in my mind, scaring me in my sleep. Those thoughts come into my dreams, turning those to a nightmare. Wishing I'd escape from it all but the fear has consumed me. At night, I stay awake to not have those nightmares again. In my dreams, I wish to escape all this but it only follows me, and makes sleeping a fear walking in my shadows. It's only waiting to attack at nightfall to scare me once more.