Sunday Seems Like a Good Day to Blog About POW! POWER OF WORDS, the 9th edition...All Possible Because of Great Teachers, Incredible Youth, and Inspiring Minds

On Friday, the 9th edition of POW! POWER OF WORDS arrived to my office at Fairfield University. We began publishing student writers in a redesign of our programs and this year, through funding from the Cornelia T. Bailey New Era Writers program, received support to host 8 after-school programs for girls to build the writing lives of Connecticut youth. It was a tremendous success, and now they have a publication to show friends and family. We included them with the summer writers because, well, "You gotta write, A'ight!"

This year's edition was dedicated to Matt Tullis, a man who taught for us and volunteered time to help young people with digital podcasting and storytelling possibilities. He will be missed and we owe much of our success to his contributions over the years. May he Rest In Peace.

We're awaiting final word for a significant grant for the 2023-2024 programs, but I'll shy away from announcing that until it is actually confirmed. 

In the next few weeks, I need to add this year's work to the table of several years so I can give an accurate number of the #s of kids and teachers we've published - all with excitement that this year will be the 10th edition, (fingers-crossed).

Happy Sunday, world. Fola Sumpter fell in love with Gholdy Muhammad's Cultivating Genius, and when Ibi Zoboi published Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler, I knew we had a mission. She and several teachers discussed what it would be like to united writing programs for girls at their school and we were lucky to get support. We made it happen and I'm proud of all the teachers and writers involved....the Cultivated Women's Collective and the literacy lab writers. It's a grade emblem for what 2022 was all about.