Spoken word media

Alasia Allah
1st year Young Artist at Work

“The Way It Is” is a poem describing the way people with low income in urban cities are trapped into the prison industrial system just by virtue of where they live, and look like.  I created this piece to portray the surroundings within which the upbringing of those most frequently incarcerated takes place. My art hopefully demonstrates the oppressive systematic aspects of growing and living in a low income, urban community.

Annie Chen and Ting Chen 
3rd year Young Artists At Work

“Follow my Lead” is a music video piece that captures the manifestation of the Prison industrial Complex (PIC) in the United States. We worked collaboratively, together and with other artists, to create music and choreography that represent the collective effort to abolish the exploitation of prisons in our community.  We created this piece because we hope to show people the injustices an individual tales while living in jails and prisons. More importantly, we hope this video will help uncover the creativity and talent of those living in confinement.

Jordan Brooks
1st year Young Artist At Work

“You Only Lived Once (YOLO)” is a hip hop performance about toxic stress, police brutality, and the stereotypes that are given people of color.  I created this piece because I have conducted research on these problems and wanted to express it through one of the most relevant forms of music for people of color.