I wrote a poem...... It's a couple of paragraphs down, but you don't want to miss the good stuff (do you!?) so you should keep reading..... Ok?!
A large unlikely group of people gathered together for a writing session in Hollywood and they were prepared to be brutally honest with each other. I was there volunteering time, taking photos and video of this meeting for my buddy Mr. Jimmy Wu, Case Manger, IOW. The footage of this live event was to create a going away video for Sister Janet Harris. (Look into her!! Very impressive woman!!)
The instructor, Mr. Gary Gilbert (was fantastic!) quoted a few people and different songs and ended with a quote from Jill Scott. I can't remember it exactly but it was something along the lines of, "Does a good man exist?" Since I was in the room I was asked to participate in the writing exercise along with everyone else, including Miss Wendy P. Killian, Esq., Executive Director, IOW.
This was the first time I can remember writing and reading out loud what I wrote in a group setting like this (besides school). It was an interesting experience because everyone also had to do the same thing and share their honest thoughts. Everyone in the room was equal. Some of the poems that I heard were absolutely amazing, I was blown away at the talent that existed in that room. The cool part was that these people were not professional writers, they were just people sharing their real life experiences.
http://www.insideoutwriters.org/mission/
https://www.facebook.com/insideoutwriters
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A good man is easy to find. Just look in front of you.
A good man exists; Don't believe the non-sense.
A good man is ready, willing, and able to guide his own life by asking for the help of better men.
A good man never gives up.
A good man always looks for a better way of doing things.
A good man speaks up for weaker people.
A good man will not settle for second best.
A good man knows what he's worth, therefore will not offer himself to every woman.
A good man is willing to be patient with the things he cannot understand.
A good man respects people from all walks of life.
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I hope you enjoyed it! :-)
Very Respectfully,
George Ohan
(Below you can read all about IOW)
****I SUPPORT their mission!!!****
http://www.insideoutwriters.org/mission/
https://www.facebook.com/insideoutwriters
The mission of InsideOUT Writers is to reduce the juvenile recidivism rateby providing a range of services that evolves to meet the needs of currently and formerly incarcerated youth and young adults.
Using creative writing as a catalyst for personal transformation, these young people are empowered with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully re-integrate into our communities, becoming advocates for their future.
What started as three weekly classes at Central Juvenile Hall has grown to 39 weekly classes in four juvenile detention facilities (Central, Los Padrinos and Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Halls and Camp David Gonzales). IOW also offers a class at LA County’s Men’s Central Jail for former juvenile hall students who are now serving time in the adult prison system.
As a complement to the writing classes, IOW also convenes annual Writers’ Retreats at each juvenile detention facility and publishes In Depth, a quarterly literary journal of students and alumni writings. Since 1996, more than 11,000 youth have participated in over 15,000 classes.
In 2009, recognizing the need for comprehensive re-entry programs and services, IOW expanded its work to include efforts to support former students upon their release from detention. The Alumni Program provides a continuum of care to Writing Program students who have been released from detention and seeks to ensure they are empowered with the skills and knowledge necessary to be self-sufficient agents of change in our communities. Through the Alumni Program, young people receive services and participate in programming designed to support their on-going development of pro-social attitudes and behaviors that will serve them well as they continue in their transition from incarceration.
The Alumni Program is comprised of six interconnected components: 1) case management; 2) life skills enrichment sessions; 3) a mentoring program; 4) writing circles; 5) community engagement and 6) cultural events & field trips. The goal of the Alumni Program is to reduce participants’ likelihood of re-offending and to increase their skills and capacity to become self-sustaining, productive members of our communities. Since its establishment, the Alumni Program has served more than 100 young people and has partnered with over 125 local community organizations to provide dynamic programming and services to meet their needs.
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