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A Georgia Humanities Project exploring writing, culture, and literacy in the movements for Civil Rights. These events are part of The Power of Words When Poetry Meets Freedom Song and Images Program.
Artistic expression is a critical part of any movement for social change. Everything from freedom songs to protest posters tell the stories of the fight for civil rights across generations.
This project is based on the work of photographer and civil rights icon Dr. Doris Derby, Ph.D , "The Power of Words' is a series of virtual creative writing workshops and author panels hosted by Theresa Davis, a slam poet, longtime educator and director of literary programs at the ArtsXchange.
As history has shown, young people are often the initiators and leaders of freedom movements. While black-and-white photos might make earlier movements seem distant, we are aiming to help Black and Brown high school-aged and college-aged people see the relevance of the Civil Rights Movement, and draw connections between the struggles of that era and those they confront today. We also hope to expand their understanding of human rights issues in their communities — school safety from gun violence, the lack of educational resources, food insecurity and other conditions of poverty, disparities in incarceration, and more — and develop their ability to express their insights in writing.
All events are FREE and open to the public.
PROGRAM EVENTS
Sunday, October 31, 2021 / 2PM
The Power of Words Author Panel with Dr. Doris Derby, Ph.D
Host- Theresa Davis
VIRTUAL LIVE STREAM- FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE
Saturday, January 8, 2022 / 2PM
Saturday Writer's Workshop with Theresa Davis
Creative Writing Workshop
VIRTUAL- ZOOM
Images used during Saturday, January 8, 2022 Writer's Workshop
Photos by Dr. Doris Derby Ph.D.
Parishioner, Union Baptist Church, South Carolina, 1972
Dr. Doris Derby
Schoolchildren, Farish Street, Jackson, Mississippi, 1968
Dr. Doris Derby
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 / 7:30PM
Wednesday Writer's Workshop with Theresa Davis
Creative Writing Workshop
VIRTUAL- ZOOM
Sunday, January 30, 2022 / 2PM
The Power of Words Author Panel with Natsu Taylor Saito
Host- Theresa Davis
VIRTUAL LIVE STREAM- FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE
Saturday, February 12, 2022 / 2PM
Saturday Writer's Workshop with Theresa Davis
Creative Writing Workshop
VIRTUAL- ZOOM
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 / 7:30PM
Wednesday Writer's Workshop with Theresa Davis
Creative Writing Workshop
VIRTUAL- ZOOM
Sunday, February 27, 2022 / 2PM
The Power of Words Author Panel
Host- Theresa Davis
VIRTUAL- ZOOM
Details TBA
HOST
Theresa Davis is an educator, storyteller, poet, author, poetry slam champion and the host of the award winning open mic Java Speaks. She has performed on stages across the nation as a poet and keynote speaker. She was a classroom teacher for over 25 years, specializing in cross curricular education. As a slam poet, Theresa has competed individually and on teams for over a decade and in 2011 won the Women of the World Poetry Slam. In May 2013, her first full collection of poems entitled “After This We Go Dark” was published by Sibling Rivalry Press. “After This We Go Dark” became an American Library Association Honoree, and the book can now be checked out in local and college libraries around the world. Her latest poetry collection “Drowned: A Mermaid’s Manifesto”, released with Sibling Rivalry Press, in fall of 2016 received the award“Ten Books All Georgians Should Read”. In addition to being a teaching artist and outreach poetry coordinator for Georgia Tech for 6 years, Theresa hosts and participates in many of the lit events around Atlanta. Her one-woman show “Then They’ll Tell You it’s all in Your Head” Made its debut as a part of 7 Stages Home Brew series in fall of 2017. Theresa is the Literary Events Coordinator and The Charles “Jikki” Riley Memorial Library, facilitator for The ArtsXchange.
SCHOLARS
Dr. Doris Derby, Ph.D., is an honored humanities scholar, civil rights icon, documentary photographer, activist, educator, and author. Her first book, POETAGRAPHY: is an Artistic Reflections of a Mississippi Lifeline in Words and Images: 1963–1972. Her second book, A Civil Rights Journey, is an astonishing journal chronicling her thoughts, visual images, and experiences with the people of Mississippi and the founding of several important civil rights organizations. Her 3rd book is titled Patchwork: Paintings, Poetry and Prose; Art and Activism in the Civil Rights Movement: 1960-1972.
Prof. Natsu Taylor Saito, J.D., Regents’ ; Professor and Professor of Law, Center for Access to Justice, College of Law, Georgia State University will provide additional historical perspectives and legal analysis. After receiving her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1987, she taught as an adjunct at Emory University School of Law before joining the Georgia State Law faculty. Prof Saito teaches public international law and international human rights, race, ethnicity, and the law. Currently a faculty affiliate of the Center for Access to Justice as well as the Department of African American Studies. She joined the College of Law faculty in 1994 and became a Distinguished University Professor in 2016. In 2021, she was appointed a Regents’ Professor. Prof Saito is the author of three books and about fifty articles or book chapters. Her latest book is Colonialism, Race, and the Law: Why Structural Racism Persists (NYU Press, 2020). She has served as an advisor to the Asian American Law Student Association, the Latinx and Caribbean Law Student Association, the Immigration Law Society, and the student chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.
This project is supported by Georgia Humanities, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through funding from the Georgia General Assembly.
Additional funding for the ArtsXchange is provided by a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta through the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts fund; and Fulton County Arts & Culture under the direction of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.
