ARTSPEAK RADIO + Kar Woo, Andrés Rodriguez, Natasha Ria El-Scari, and Katie Kline

Wednesday April 3, noon to 1pm CST on 90.1FM & streaming live audio www.kkfi.org

Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes Kar Woo Artist Helping the Homeless, poets Andrés Rodriguez, Natasha Ria El-Scari, and Katie Kline KC Storytellers.

Katie Kline KC Storytellers-Students from nearly 20 area high schools will tell their inspiring stories during the third annual community celebration of KC Storytellers on Saturday, April 6 from 7-9 pm at the Center for Spiritual Living located at 1014 West 39th St.

The students, from a variety of high schools including Van Horn, Shawnee Mission, North Kansas City and St. Teresa’s Academy, were nominated by their teachers to help build a more united community through storytelling. Their inspiring stories will be told in their voice and shared with their peers and community.

KC Storytellers is a program organized by the Greater Kansas City Writing Project, which works to improve learning by revamping the teaching of writing in all grades and subject areas.

“It takes a lot of courage to share a personal story on stage, and I encourage the community to come out to support and hear what these students have to say,” said Katie Kline, director of the Greater Kansas City Writing Project. “The stories will make you laugh, make you cry, but most of all they will make you proud of the young people of our community.”

The students attend two workshops to get to know each other and craft their stories. The community celebration on April 6 is a culmination of their hard work. Admission is free. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/o/greater-kansas-city-writing-project-13178904051to reserve your seats.

KC Storytellers expands opportunities for student stories much like a similar program, Louder Than a Bomb -KC, a youth slam poetry competition. Like the poets on those teams, the KC Storytellers have a range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, come from urban and suburban schools, and represent both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line.

Natasha Ria El-Scari is a writer, Cave Canem fellow, and educator for over a decade. Her poetry, academic papers, and personal essays have been published in anthologies, literary and online journals. She has opened for and introduced many great writers, singers and activists, and has been featured at a host of universities and venues nationwide. Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Natasha has a BA from Jackson State University and a MA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Natasha’s Black Feminist approach is reflected in her writing, poetry and performance pieces. Natasha brings the fire! She is a divorced mother of two awesome children. Once asked in an interview what makes her unique she replied, “…most people lie to themselves, but I like to reveal myself.”

Natasha’s perspective as a mother, educator, feminist, performer and artist make her a dynamic speaker and presenter for all ages. Natasha is not easily boxed in to any confines and has honed in her skills that she pulls from all areas of her experiences. She is both introspective and cathartic and is most known for her honesty about motherhood, womanhood, politics and love. Natasha Ria El-Scari is available for performance poetry, spoken word, poetry recitation, panel discussions, educational/college preparatory workshops for young adults as well as parents. Dynamic and down-to-earth, Natasha is a must experience!

Natasha is co-owner of El-Scari Harvey Art Gallery located at 1014 W. 39th St.
Kansas City, Missouri. El-Scari Harvey Art Gallery is dedicated to the presence & potential of marginalized visual artists. Our monthly changing gallery highlights this power.

https://www.natasharia.com/el-scari-harvey-art-gallery

www.natasharia.com

Andrés Rodríguez is the author of Night Song (Tia Chucha Press), Book of the Heart(Lindisfarne Press), and Portal of Dreams (Woodley Press). His poems and essays have appeared in Bilingual Review, Harvard Review, I-70 Review, Palabra, Sagetrieb, and other journals. In 2007 he won Poets & Writers’ Maureen Egan Writers Award for poetry. He has an MA in Creative Writing from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of California-Santa Cruz.

Kar Woo-Artists Helping the Homeless, Inc., was founded by Kar Woo in February 2008 and obtained 501(c)3 status to fund a Sunday night meal program for homeless in the Plaza/Midtown area through the sale of art. Woo had encountered the homeless while walking his dog in the park behind his store. When one Sunday night he noticed MNU students serving the homeless dinner, he joined them. As relationships grew, he learned of the needs and challenges of the homeless. He realized many could be address through existing community resources before they became a costly, and sometimes painful, emergency and had some success.
The mission of Artists Helping The Homeless is reducing the need and cost of care for the homeless by:
• Providing aid with respect
• Providing advocacy for those seeking to leave the street
• Raising awareness of homeless issues in Kansas City
• Working with, rather than duplicating what others do
• Addressing underlying causes
Artists Helping The Homeless believes that helping the homeless helps the community. Bringing together local artists, art students and the community through events and activities to achieve our mission. We work with other agencies and entities to identify need and to provide aid and service efficiently, recognizing the sum is greater than its parts.
Artists Helping the Homeless operates under five basic principles:
• Know those with whom we work
• Respect their boundaries
• Listen, provide support, encouragement and assistance
• Create efficiency, not duplication in existing services
Artists Helping the Homeless 3625 Warwick Blvd Kansas City, MO 64111 816-668-1007
www.ahh.org

#artsspeakradio
#kkficommunityradio


Share This Episode