A peer led writing group that teaches teen s how to use different literary devices and to learn and explore expressio n through writing together.
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Berkeley Youth Poet Laureate Nolaw it Ketema
\n\nWriting\, especially poetry\, is how I make sen se of emotions and experiences I don&rsquo\;t yet know how to say out loud . It allows me to slow down\, to sit with what I&rsquo\;m feeling\, even w hen those feelings are uncomfortable or unresolved. Through writing\, I gi ve myself permission to notice\, to feel\, and to understand.
\nMost of my work is rooted in genuine emotions and lived experiences. When I wr ite poetry\, I also write for the little girl in me who loved reading and dreamed of becoming a writer. For a long time\, that dream felt unrealisti c\, something better hidden away. When people asked what I wanted to be\, I learned to give safer answers. Now\, every poem is a way of honoring tha t younger version of myself\, the one who felt the need to conceal a true part of who she was. I write for children who are told\, directly or indir ectly\, that their dreams are impractical or not enough. I write for the p eople who have walked with me through both joy and hardship\, shaping the person I am today.
\nI know that many people\, especially young chil dren\, don&rsquo\;t always feel drawn to reading or writing so my hope is to create work that feels honest and approachable. Poetry shouldn&rsquo\;t demand perfection or expertise\, only openness. If even one piece makes s omeone feel seen\, understood\, or less alone\, then the words have done w hat they were meant to do.
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