Richmond students prepare for countywide Poetry Out Loud contest

It was less than two weeks until Contra Costa’s Poetry Out Loud recitation contest and 9th grader Allyson Gayoso, a 14-year-old from Richmond’s Salesian High School, was reciting a poem from memory with the confidence of a seasoned orator. Inside a small, quiet office, Gayoso practiced the words of “On an Unsociable Family,” an 18th…

Read More

Richmond mayor honors local youth poets

gayle mclaughlin

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by our community reporting partners at RichmondPulse.org and is re-published here with their permission. _____________ Poetry, applause and laughter reigned at last week’s “Meet with the Mayor” event, a monthly gathering held at the Richmond Public Library and hosted by mayor Gayle McLaughlin. This month, the mayor’s special…

Read More

Richmond youth share stories of struggle and hope

When Jamaya Walker’s father was murdered last March she cried so fiercely she became physically ill. She still has the bullet that took his life, but now, instead of weeping, she writes. “When you’re a daddy’s girl and your dad gets murdered, you don’t know what to do,” 14-year-old Walker said. “I just wrote all…

Read More

The “Richmond Writes!” poetry contest is back

The Richmond Arts and Culture Commission is looking for short poems written by students or Literacy is for Every Adult Program members who attend school or live in Richmond. The annual October contest, called Richmond Writes!, celebrates national arts and humanities month. Participants will receive a certificate recognizing their participation and their poems will be…

Read More