WRITE RHYME RECITE COLLECTIVE IMPACT
JULIO, POETRY SLAM SCHOLAR
WRRC helped me develop the confidence I now have in my poetic ability and the vulnerability I allow myself to show on stage. I have now performed several times in and out of college and none of it would’ve happened, had I not had my start with Verdel.
A chance encounter changed my life in ways I couldn’t imagine.
KIRSTEN, POETRY SLAM SCHOLAR
While receiving the Poetry Slam Scholarship at Write Rhyme Recite was an absolute honor, and I am extremely grateful for the scholarship I received, the lessons which I learned from the opportunity Share Inform Enlighten allowed me to experience were worth more than any scholarship or title. The Write Rhyme Recite Event was truly a memorable one which exposed me to like minded, passionate, as well as simply kind-hearted individuals.
NAME, TITLE
I want to sincerely thank you for a wonderful evening. It was a pleasure to hear the other speakers, to get to meet you, and enjoy the food that was served. Everyone was truly so kind, and I felt so welcomed. Having the ability to read my work aloud for the first time was an incredible experience, and I am very grateful for that.
I am honored that I was able to receive the Earline T. Marshall Scholarship. I recently committed to a Masters Program, and this scholarship will truly help lighten the financial cost of the program. I cannot even begin to express to you how grateful I am, and I cannot wait to continue my studies to help shape the minds of our future generations!
JACOB DIXON
COMMUNITY CHAMPION
Gratitude, humbled and inspired are the three words that describe not only my feeling of being honored by Share Inform Enlighten as a 2023 Community Champion, but the experience overall at the Write Rhyme Recite Collective Honors Program. As an educator activist, it was so, so powerful to see our future standing in their truth in the now through the power of the arts to speak a bold vision for Long Island alongside our community holding them up that evening. Since the event, I have been recognized as one of Blank Slate Media's 2024 40 under 40 on Long Island honorees, as well as expand our programs and advocacy work - especially around health justice across Long Island where our high school youth are leading the change they want to see in their neighborhoods, just like how they spoke of the change at the WRRC Honors.
DR. ZODELIA WILLIAMS
COMMUNITY CHAMPION
This event was a truly transformative experience. Sharing the stage with my protégé, Jasmine Wells, and several of the scholars we mentor was an honor. Witnessing their excitement as our work was showcased was incredibly rewarding. It was essential for them to see firsthand the incredible work being done by others in our community and to be inspired by students like themselves who had the courage to compete in the poetry slam. This event was a catalyst for change, demonstrating the power of mentorship, community support, and the arts to inspire and empower young people. Let's continue to create more opportunities for our scholars to shine and make a positive impact on the world.