WritersCorps Apprentices with guest readers from Instant City at The Green Arcade reading, August 5

Join the young authors of “City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco” as they read from this new book about San Francisco. “City of Stairways” was written by students in WritersCorps. Part travel guide and part literary anthology, this 7×7 inch book is packed with original poetry, photography, artwork, maps, and tips on the places to see and be seen in San Francisco. “City of Stairways” offers an intimate look at some of the most memorable sites and neighborhoods in San Francisco, and gives residents and visitors alike a unique, vibrant perspective on being a youth in an urban environment.

Aside from the authors of the book, tonight’s event includes guest writers Amanda Davidson and Kevin Thomson from local literary journal Instant City. Instant City publishes fiction, non-fiction, and art generating an ongoing psychogeographic exploration of San Francisco.

About the guest writers:

Amanda Davidson is a San Francisco-based writer and multimedia artist. In 2009 she spent time as a writer-in-residence at the MacDowell Colony as well as the Art Farm Nebraska. She is currently working on her first novel. Visit her online.

Kevin Thomson is author of the book “Hot Rod Kings,” wrote the text for the book “Speedseekers,” and has contributed to numerous books and magazines. He tours and records with his bands Enablers, and BunBunBun.  Kevin enjoys breaking skin on vintage cars and acquiring bruises in empty swimming pools.

WHAT: “City of Stairways” Reading

WHEN & WHERE: August 5, 7-8 pm
The Green Arcade, 1680 Market Street

COST: Free

Photo by Ian Wang

Join the young authors of “City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco” for the launch of this new book about San Francisco. “City of Stairways” was written by students in WritersCorps, a creative writing program for youth. Part travel guide and part literary anthology, this 7×7 inch book is packed with original poetry, photography, artwork, maps, and tips on the places to see and be seen in San Francisco. “City of Stairways” offers an intimate look at some of the most memorable sites and neighborhoods in San Francisco, and gives residents and visitors alike a unique, vibrant perspective on being a youth in an urban environment.

The launch takes place at Get Lost Books, San Francisco’s favorite travel bookstore.

WHAT: “City of Stairways” Launch

WHEN & WHERE: July 15, 7-8 pm
Get Lost Books, 1825 Market Street

COST: Free

WritersCorps students at City of Stairways book launch, Get Lost Books, July 15

Join the young authors of “City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco” as they continue blazing new trails through the city for our summer reading series! A recent write-up in the San Francisco Chronicle applauded the book for being “about more than just what’s in the city — it’s about how it feels to be here,” celebrating the young poets’ process of writing poems on location and “lending an elegant craftsmanship to their emotions and observations.” See for yourself what some of our favorite city secrets are at our next reading at Book Passage! Along with our young writers, poet Michael Warr will be reading selections of his work. Writer Chrissy Anderson-Zavala will be our emcee for the evening.

About our guest poet:

Michael Warr wrote his first poem at the age of nine in San Francisco. His awards include the Gwendolyn Brooks Significant Illinois Poets award, a NEA Creative Writing Fellowship for Poetry, The Beat Museum Poet of the Month, and others. He is author of “We Are All the Black Boy” and a co-editor of “Power Lines: A Decade of Poetry from Chicago’s Guild Complex.” His poems are anthologized in many publications including “The Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip-hop & the Poetry of a New Generation,” “Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe,” :Changer l’Amerique, Anthologie de la Poesie,” “Protestataire des USA,” and recorded in the CD “A Snake in the Heart: Poems and Music by Chicago Spoken Word Performers.” His digital photo/poetry performance, Poetic Aperture — An African American Interprets Africa, based on his poetry and photographs created as a photojournalist in Ethiopia and Mali, debuted at Chicago’s The Field Museum. Click here for downloads of his poems with music.

WHAT: “City of Stairways” Reading

WHEN & WHERE: August 26, 6-7pm
Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, #42

COST: FREE

Join us for a reading for “City of Stairways: A Poet’s Field Guide to San Francisco.” This rich new anthology and travel guide was edited by WritersCorps teaching artist Milta Ortiz and created by the WritersCorps Apprentices.

The book doubles as literary anthology and travel guide and is the product of hundreds of hours of field trips, neighborhood treks, and in-class prompts in which youth explored the connection between writing and the larger urban landscape. “City of Stairways” includes original artwork and photography, maps of seven San Francisco neighborhoods, and suggested walking routes that allow long-time residents and visitors an intimate, off-the-beaten path look at local landmarks, eateries, and “secret spots.” In keeping with the dimensions of the city, the book is 7 by 7 inches. It also includes anecdotes about San Francisco by local luminaries such as Lorna Dee Cervantes, Daniel Handler, and Craig Newmark.

Fundraising to support the creation, printing, and distribution of the book is currently taking place on Kickstarter. But no matter the outcome of the fundraiser, we will celebrate the students who wrote this book with a reading!

This reading for “City of Stairways” will take place at Galeria de la Raza on Sunday, June 13, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. A small batch of prototypes of the book will be available. For more information, call 415-252-4655.

WHAT: “City of Stairways” Reading
Featuring students from the WritersCorps Apprentice Program and Teaching Artist Milta Ortiz

WHEN & WHERE: June 13, 2010, 2-4 pm
Galeria de la Raza, 2857 24th Street

COST: Free

City of Stairways: Book Launch from New America Media on Vimeo.

Come celebrate summer and great literature with WritersCorps this Friday! Join WritersCorps students from the Beyond Journal Writing for Teens workshop at the San Francisco Main Public Library on the sixth-floor terrace as they read poems from the new WritersCorps anthology, Wonder Turner.

WHAT: Poetry on the Terrace: Readings by Main Library students from the WritersCorps site anthology, Wonder Turner

WHEN & WHERE: Friday, June 11, 4-5 pm
San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street, 6th Floor Terrace

COST: Free

Poetry and baseball, together at last! WritersCorps is the featured community partner at AT&T Park on Tuesday, June 1, 2010 as the San Francisco Giants take on the Colorado Rockies. One of our students, Geoffrey Simpson, Jr will read at home plate at the start of the game. Geoffrey is a sophomore at International Studies Academy and is part of our WritersCorps Apprentice Program.

What: Write Like a Giant

When: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 7 pm. The game starts at 7:15 pm

Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco

Cost: A ticket to the game is required.

What happens when WritersCorps students from all over the city come together for a one-hour literary performance? A WordStorm! Join us for an end-of-the year celebration of new writing and books by WritersCorps students. Featuring performances by students from Aptos Middle School, Downtown High School, Hilltop School, Ida B. Wells High School, International Studies Academy, Mission High School, San Francisco Main Library, and the WritersCorps Apprentice Program. The reading is from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at the San Francisco Main Library.

What: WritersCorps WordStorm

When: Wednesday, May 26, 2010, 6:00 to 7:00 pm

Where: San Francisco Main Library, Koret Auditorum, 100 Larkin St

Cost: Free

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WritersCorps and Mission High School present write/walk, a public literary arts project in collaboration with Mission District businesses and organizations. write/walk is a walking tour of young writers and local businesses. Participating businesses are displaying the work of WritersCorps students from Mission High School on art posters in their storefronts.

The posters will be displayed during May, and will be accompanied by a free write/walk guidebook available at all participating merchants. The guidebook features a map of the tour, reproductions of the posters, and additional writing from Mission High School students.

An inaugural tour leaves from Mission High School at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, May 12, followed by a reading at Modern Times Bookstore from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

WHAT: write/walk Walking Tour and Reading
Featuring students from Mission High School who have participated in the award-winning WritersCorps program

WHEN & WHERE: May 12, 2010, 6:00-9:00 pm
• write/walk Walking Tour, 6:00-7:00 pm
Meet at Mission High School, 3750 18th Street

• write/walk Reading, 7:00-9:00 pm
Modern Times Bookstore, 888 Valencia Street

COST: Free

PARTICIPATING MERCHANTS AND ORGANIZATIONS: Pick up your free copy of the write/walk guidebook at these locations:

Adobe Book Shop
Amore Pet Supply
Bombay Ice Cream
Borderlands Books
Candy Store Collective
Congregation Sha’ar Zahav
Dog Eared Books
Dolores Street Community Services
826 Valencia
Modern Times Bookstore
Retro Fit Vintage

Or download a PDF version of the booklet here: Write/Walk Guidebook

WritersCorps gratefully acknowledges the support of Elks Lodge No. 169-Mission for this project.

WritersCorps joins forces with 4 museums to present Claim the Block, readings by young writers who are connecting to their city and its art.

Each Claim the Block reading features WritersCorps students from public schools, paired with local writers who serve as WritersCorps teachers. Through poetry and prose, the students will relate to the art in the museums, tackle issues of adolescence, and claim their place in their neighborhoods and communities in San Francisco. The events also feature artwork and performance by youth groups from the museums. All events are free or low-cost and open to the public.

February 13, 4:30-5:30 pm
Museum of the African Diaspora
685 Mission St / $2
Featuring Myron Michael Hardy and Neela Banerjee
With students from Downtown High School and Ida B. Wells High School

March 11, 7-8 pm
Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission St / Free
Featuring Carrie Leilam Love and Cindy Je
With students from Mission High School, Hilltop High School and the San Francisco Main Public Library

April 10, 6:30-7:30 pm
Zeum
221 4th St / Free
Featuring Aracely Gonzalez and Rick D’Elia
With students from International Studies Academy and Aptos Middle School

April 23, 7:30-8:30 pm
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Forum
701 Mission St / Free
Featuring Milta Ortiz
With students from the WritersCorps Apprentice Program


View Claim the Block in a larger map

See photos from the Claim the Block reading series over here on Flickr.

It’s that time of year for Litquake again! Join WritersCorps as we read during Lit Crawl, a Saturday evening of readings that take place all over the Mission District, from laundrymats to cafes and bars. The annual Litquake Lit Crawl just happens to take place on the 20th anniversary of Loma Prieta. Coincidence?

WritersCorps will be reading at the brand new Mission Comics & Art. Hear our writers share new work, as well as excerpts from the City Lights anthology “Days I Moved Through Ordinary Sounds: The Teachers of WritersCorps in Poetry and Prose.”

What: WritersCorps at Litquake

Who: Neelanjana Banerjee, Rick D’Elia, Aracely Gonzalez, Myron Michael Hardy, Cindy Je, Carrie Leilam Love, and Milta Ortiz

When: Phase 2 of Lit Crawl: Saturday, October 17, 2009, 7:15 to 8:15 pm

Where: Mission Comics & Art, 3520 20th St, Suite B (near Mission St)

Cost: Free!

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