I’ve spent my whole life on trains, and most of my life writing. This project is an intersection of both experiences through a unique yet familiar format: Google Maps. Consider it “Poetry in Motion” for the next generation! Each poem was written while riding specific trains. Simply select a “line” (by the title of the poem) to read each full piece OR read stop-by-stop (stanza-by-stanza) if you select the teardrop icons.
This project includes excerpts from a working anthology in progress. I included three poems which I feel represent the shaping of my femininity. I attempted to contrast my relationship with my mother, father and stepfather with interactions between myself and men in the world. Alongside these poems, I drew rough sketches which I felt best accompanied these poems. I have always loved to doodle, but have always confined them to the margins of my math homework. I got out of my comfort zone by merging the media of writing and art.
There’s no me without all of you.
Hold On is a song that can mean different things to different people. I am someone who tends to carry her emotional baggage around with her. It sits heavy on my back and pulls me away from being the person that I am capable of being. I wrote this song to remind myself that true happiness cannot be found in the perfection of the imperfect world we live in.
During the last days of summer vacation, I was watching the television show Teen Wolf when my mother said to me…
“I don’t want to go to college. I want to go to war.”
his project I have is a project close to me as it goes through the journey of self reflection and of healing generational trauma. I try to find my mom’s father as well as finding out my dad’s family who, to my knowledge, have either passed or changed their name. This is my best project because it is a reflection of a common wound that kids like me have. Identity issues are prevalent in people of color and this helps me gain some sort of closure with my family as well as help my mom heal.
Prosody has been almost 18 years in the making, the antithesis of the saying, “Write what you know.” I don’t know much about the developmental disorder that both my sister and dad have, but I’ve grown up understanding that the topic of disabilities have been painted in black-and-white for years. The multilayered stigmas that surround it have impacted two of the most important people in my life. Going into this podcast, I wanted to help myself (and others) relate to the experiences of those on the autism spectrum, as well as give voice to those with disabilities and stories that should be heard.
The project is an animation about two girls named Reimu and Marisa, who battle monsters with their magical powers to protect their town, Genso. For this project, I was inspired by a video game called Touhou. It represents my best work in the program this year because I put so much time and effort into thinking about the story and plot; planning it out; and creating it.
“Her” tells multigenerational female narratives from real young women who shared their thoughts and experiences with me. They talk about their mothers, themselves, their fears, regrets, and hopes. I created a found language audio poem using their interviews to combine their voices and express a piece of what it’s like to be seventeen/eighteen and a young woman navigating changing relationships.
Today, we’re constantly being criticized for how we look, what we wear, and how we act, and we’re forced to change ourselves to avoid criticism. Alana faces the same problem. She loves her long, jet black hair. But as her hair gets increasingly longer, people are starting to talk about her, and especially her hair. Feeling pressured, she decides to cut her hair short. She feels bold, but something doesn’t feel right…
You are slowly becoming the person you always wanted to be.
My name is Oakley. I am a tree comedian. I do comedy for trees.
I fought off my first monster at age five.
It is a bold thing to acknowledge who you are.
