Upward Bound Program Holds SPARC Poetry Workshops all summer.

For the third year in a row Bay Area Creative is providing service at Upward Bound UC Berkeley through our flagship program SPARC poetry. Students who participate in Upward Bound have worked as hard as can be imagined to earn a spot in the Upward Bound college preparatory program which serves first generation college applicants. Our poetry workshops are guided by the students’ writing in order to be as culturally relevant as possible. Each year these courageous young writers leap beyond their comfort zones in order to expand and grow as scholars, writers and leaders of their generation. This year due to closures we are leading these workshops via zoom and are excited to push this human connective art form into the digital world.

America

By: Anonymous Upward Bound Student

America is the land that many fled to

The land that many fought for

America’s that one girl that everyone knows

With her loud and joyous laughs and happy celebrations

She doesn’t know who she is

She’s the epitome of freedom

America isn’t who people think she is

America isn’t free

Hell, America is hardly ever herself

America’s not that innocent girl

America is what others make her out to be

But America is made of land and people that were robbed, stolen, and killed.

And more, but I dare not to say it out loud,

For the one nation,

That was indivisible

It will always be divided

by the opinions of the nation

Her past has been paved with the blood of many innocent victims

But America doesn’t want to be that girl that everybody hates

Because of her past

So, she put her mask on

And acts as if nothing has happened

As if her scars are just as invisible as the justice she tries to give for all

Because what does all mean if America can’t even speak for herself?

With her “family” acting as dictators to her life

Don’t do this,

Don’t ignore her

Make friends with her, and especially do speak for those people

Because if she does, she’ll know and be reminded of the people that have paved way for her life

People that have worked so hard to only achieve nothing.

For those people