El Centro de la Raza
2524 16th Avenue S.SeattleWA98144
206-329-9442206-726-1529

Program: The Hope for Youth Year Started: 1987 Focus: Creative Writing & Literature Youth Served: 60 Ages: 8-18 Budget: $120,000 What began as an arts and poetry workshop to get youth off the street has become a significant after-school leadership training program. In the poetry workshops, youth read poems by poets of diverse cultures that deal with community issues, analyze their structure and content and then write poetry that is critiqued by other members of the group. The workshops are held in 10-week cycles at 15 different public schools. The Kingian Nonviolence workshops use poetry to help youth learn how to channel their anger and frustration into positive and disciplined behavior. Participants who receive a minimum of 120 hours of nonviolence training become Varsity Team Players of El Centro. Varsity Players participate in Get a Life Productions and conduct nonviolence training and poetry workshops at conferences, universities and political and community events. They produce concerts and poetry readings by both renowned and lesser known artists. Fear of violence in the Latino community has led many parents and their children to El Centro, where youth can be safe and learn something valuable.