For the past eight weeks, a group of local teenagers has been learning skills to improve their creative writing and poetry in a workshop called Manifest Voices led by Christian J. Collier.
The teens will demonstrate what they've learned in a free showcase at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 28, at ArtsBuild, 301 E. 11th St. Each student will take the stage to perform a set of powerful, original material.
This is the third year the program has been held, sponsored by the Southern Lit Alliance, using an original poetry curriculum. Students learn an array of creative writing and poetic devices, how to apply them in their work and how to be able to perform them effectively.
Collier is an accomplished writer and musician who has performed with several members of HBO's "Def Poetry," Minton Sparks and poet Ishmael Reed. He is a 2015 recipient of The Loft Literary Center's Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship.
His work has been featured in The Guardian, and he has appeared on an episode of TNT's "State Farm Neighborhood Sessions" with recording artist Usher.
Doors open for the Manifest Voices showcase at 5:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to arrive early due to limited seating.
For more information: christianjcollier.com.