Everyone’s voice is different. We want to hear yours.

This fall, come together with other teens (ages 13 to 18) from across Newark at a Dodge Poetry workshop designed to showcase your words and ideas. Poets from the community (like Newark’s first-ever poet laureate, Mia X), and students from the Rutgers-Newark MFA program in Poetry, will be on hand to offer prompts, suggestions and ideas.

But the focus is on you: What frustrates you? Where do you find joy? What does this city and this country look like from your unique, powerful perspective?

We believe poetry can be found in books, but also in hip hop, at protests and parties, in the clip of a song playing from the window of a passing car. Poetry is an oral tradition, especially here in Newark. (Even our mayor is a spoken word artist; this is what we do!)

So be a part of the conversation. Join us to write your own verses, and then (if you choose) speak them out loud at the open mic that ends every session.

Workshops are FREE and will be held in person on the first Wednesday of the month (at locations in various wards in Newark; see below for details) and virtually on the third Wednesday of the month, until December 17, 2025.

THEME: Youth Poetry Workshop
HOST: NJPAC & Poets from the community
FEATURES: N/A
PRICE: FREE / RSVP bit.ly/dodgeteen
CONTACT: @njpac