To: Green Earth Poets Cafe Board of Directors
Re: Rikers Island Prison Holiday Poetry Program- Dec 10, 2016
I am pleased to report that Saturday’s poetry program at Rikers Island “No More Silent Voices” was very well received by the inmates of the EMTC facility. Six (6) wonderful artists joined us at the prison to help bring holiday cheer and a phenomenal performance. I wish to thank personally Quindell Evans aka Nuvha Nguvu program director and MC of the program for running a great show. We had four (4) inmates join us and share performing their original poetry. The eight or nine inmates (young men age 18-21) seemed to really enjoy the words of wisdom, performances and appreciation we shared with them. Also we want to thank teaching artist Nicole Najmah Abraham who by the way has a great left handed jump shot. (We were in the gymnasium playing basketball until the inmates came down to the gym, where the show took place). Thank you to our newest member of Green Earth Poets Cafe Devanté Tate aka Black on both sides who is a extraordinary poet, artist and activist. We will be doing great things with Devante. Thank you and appreciation to Poet extraordinaire Midnight aka Tarishi Midnight-Shuler. Tarishi is becoming a regular fixture at Green Earth Poets Cafe and will be a key player and director of Green Earth Poets Theater upon launch. The last kudos goes to the dynamic duo of Poetic Black aka Danyeil Green and Carlos Lavezzari. These two perfomed a collaboration which was powerful and we will be trying to encourage collaborating with them and our poetry theater. So thank you to the artists who came yesterday. Yesterday’s Poetry performance was funded in part by The Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Foundation grant. Pictured Curtis Harris, Devante Tate, Danyiell Green, Carlos Lavezzari , Quindell Evans, and Nicole Najmah Abraham. (Not pictured Tarishia Midnight Shuler).
Faithfully submitted,
Curtis Harris, MPA
Executive Director
Green Earth Poets Cafe
“Helping People Find Their Voice”
www.greenearthpoetscafe.co
cc: Board members- Diane McNeil, Tina Callender, Sharon Wedderburn, Zulma Rodriguez, Jeri Baskerville, Genesis Valdez
