A Day of UnArmed Truths and Writing Our Lives. Two Workshops Down and Many Reasons to Celebration

The following was drafted between two workshops launched by Attallah and I at the Writing Our Lives-Syracuse event yesterday. I was thrilled to have my nephew in attendance with the other youth participants. It was tremendous to return to Nottingham High School, too, where I spent much time over four years earning my doctorate.

The workshop Attallah and I hosted combined word play with script writing and poetry. Participating as a writer, I did what I mentored the kids to do - played with word. Here's what I doodled on the board as a result of two sessions at the conference (I went with script in one and a poem in the other).

Marcelle: Yo, Bryan
Bryan: What's up?
Marcelle: These kids.
Bryan: What about these kids?
Marcelle: It's magic.
Bryan: We already know that.
Marcelle. They're magic.
Bryan: We need to teach them to know that, too.
Marcelle: But school is so mind-numbing. It's like they are forced to attend drool factories.
Bryan: We know this, too. So what are we gonna do about it?
Marcelle: How about a conference called Writing Our Lives. A location for a Sista-scholar, magician,
         conductor and writer to braid the Syracuse community together.
Bryan: The I-81 traffic? The snow plows? the Orange fans? The laughter from school hallways?
Marcelle: Yes, bring a fabulous family together to #TellYourTruth, to feast on words.
Bryan: You can do that. Can I share the poem I wrote in the last session?
Marcelle: Take the stage, Crandall. You got the hot spot light.

I am a poem,
a professor, the Carrier Dome,
who takes socks from the dresser
to be funky and spunky in everything I do.

I am Syracuse, how about you?

A love poem, so true, singing the
song of friendship and standing strong
like the snowflakes and sassy winds
that take control of our CNY seasons and beliefs.

I am the power of vocabulary,
a dictionary of salt water,
Dinosaur Barbecue and the
vivacious air fresheners
that try to put words in my mouth.

I am Ubuntu,
Me, together with you,
do as any Syracuse fan would do,
thundering like a summer storm,
a brother and sister crew,
joining arms within other arms
and creating a world
better adapted for hugs.

I am family who tells my truth through writing,
and as long as we have each other
we can fight for tomorrow...
.     ..push away the sorrow...
(Cuz Ya Gotta Write! Aright?)
and there can't be a flight ---
instead we must show our might with our words.

Marcelle: Ah, you and the stardust of your words: caring, dreaming, and blaring life into the
           worlds we live.
Bryan: It's only magic because you've provided a location for magic to happen. Here they can
            scribble their ideas, doodle their brilliance, tap their passion, and speak their minds.