I, Too Arts Collective
I, Too Arts Collective is a non-profit organization committed to nurturing voices from underrepresented communities in the creative arts. The organization is located in the Langston Hughes House, a historic building in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. This brownstone is where American poet Langston Hughes lived and created during the last twenty years of his life. I, Too Arts Collective aims to preserve[1] and build on Hughes' legacy by providing programming for emerging writers.
History[edit]
I, Too Arts Collective was founded in 2016 by writer, performer, and educator Renée Watson. Langston Hughes was one of the first poets Watson learned about as a child growing up in Portland, Oregon. She connected with Hughes’ realistic depictions of African-American life and found his words a reflection of her own community.[2] Watson currently serves as the Executive Director of I, Too Arts collective. Board members include Dana Edell, David Flores, Ellen Hagan, and Ladi’sasha Jones. Honorary Board Members include Caroleen Feeny, Joanne Gabbin, Meg Medina, Christopher Myers, Naomi Shihab Nye, Willie Perdomo, Andrea Pinkney, Jacqueline Woodson, and Gretchen Young.
Programs[edit]
I, Too Arts Collective offers a range of creative arts programs. Monthly Poetry Salons feature a guest poet along with open-mic style performances. The Creative Conversations Series is a forum for artists and writers to engage one another in an intimate and candid dialogue around practice, process and politics. Unscripted and unmoderated, the series features readings, performances and an open exchange with audience members.
The Langston Hughes Writing Institute offers offer workshops and intensives throughout the year for youth and adults of all writing levels. Workshops provide a supportive yet challenging atmosphere for emerging and established writers to develop, share, and critique work. Guest faculty are distinguished, published writers who are committed to building creative, nurturing communities. Specialized writing workshops include the Langston Hughes Young Writers Institute, which offers week-long intensives during spring and summer breaks. This institute is centered around the poetry of Langston Hughes, hip-hop, and writing poetry that honors everyday people and places and speaks out against injustice.
The I, Too Arts Collective membership program offers patrons access to special events and benefits. Member donations go towards supporting various organizational initiatives. In April 2018, I, Too Arts was featured on CBS This Morning. Executive Director also penned an op-ed New York Times piece about preserving Hughes' legacy.
References[edit]
- ↑ Poon, Linda (August 22, 2016). "Saving Langston Hughes's House in Harlem". www.citylab.com.
- ↑ Irwin, Demetria (February 1, 2017). "Honoring the People's Poet: Langston Hughes' Harlem Home Gets New Life". www.ebony.com.
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