LANCASTER, CA – April 22, 2025 Last Friday, The District Wide Black Student Union (BSU) met At Eastside High School to host a collective Art Talk centered on Spoken Word and Poetry. BSU members from various sites in the AVUHSD were able to engage in creative writing and showcase their work throughout the day.

 “I think one of the biggest things to get out of learning poetry is learning to share your story and to write your story”, explained Shihan Van Clief a poet and author who took the lead on the workshop. “ I believe a lot of the students have so much in their head, so many feelings in their heart, just festering and I think there needs to be an outlet for that, and I think poetry provides an outlet for young people emotionally.”

Participants were divided into three different groups and began with “Free Writes” an exercise allowing students to write the first thing that comes to mind about a specific prompt allowing them to clear their thoughts. They then progressed to an activity called “Seven Words, Seven Lines”, where they were given seven words to incorporate into seven sentences. When the exercise is complete, they would have composed a full poem. Additionally, students created lists of 10 of their favorite people, and were encouraged to make sure that they are included in that list. They were then instructed to write a letter to one of their favorite people.

Students were given notebooks for the workshop and were allowed to keep them. “When they get to write in a notebook, those notebooks don’t have or place any judgment on what’s being written on the pages”, said Clief “And so they get to say what they feel and write what they feel without any expectation in return, and I think that’s important for building self confidence.”

The Poetry Workshop was only the first half of a day full of art and expression. The Students then hosted their own Paint Party after school. They gathered their own supplies, set up their own dj equipment and were encouraged to paint images reflecting their club and culture. “I think it’s very important since art is a form of expression that can be interpreted in many different ways, like music, poetry, dancing, or even just your typical art”, said Sekayla Pitts, a senior from Eastside High School who instructed other students on what to paint. “I encouraged them to paint something that involved black culture because of the fact that we are black and we are the representation of our community.”