RunDSM

2013 was a transformative year for RunDSM. In the spirit of reflection, we’d love to share highlights from our journey:

• The poets of Movement 515 raised over $3000 for non-profit organizations in Des Moines (“I Have a Dream” Foundation // Isiserettes // Beza Threads) via Share the Mic: Community Voices Creating Change, featuring students from Harding, Hiatt, North, East, Roosevelt, Hoover, and Central

• We hosted our first annual DSM Teen Poetry Slam at Hoyt Sherman Place, with the 6 top-scoring poets qualifying for Brave New Voices

• Minorities on the Move expanded to 6 middle schools in Des Moines Public Schools, serving 120 students in a 2-week period

• We traveled to Chicago to be the first team from Iowa to ever compete at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival, featured on HBO

• RunDSM brought in hip-hop artist / slam poet Guante and World Poetry Slam Champion Joaquin Zihuatanejo to workshop with the poets of Movement 515

• RunDSM added Street Art as a Social Practice alongside Movement 515, facilitated by local artist Jordan Weber of Fluxx Gallery

• Urban Leadership 101 was created at Central Campus, serving 40 high school students in Des Moines Public Schools

• The poets of Movement 515 performed at TEDx Youth Des Moines, headlined the Wonder of Words festival, opened for Freedom Writer Manuel Scott, collaborated with Simpson College Poetry Collective, facilitated workshops in Waukee School District, and popped up at other venues all over our little city

• East High teachers Kayla O’Connor and Kortny Williamson hosted their first ever Movement 515 Spoken Word Poetry event, showcasing the power of collaboration and expansion

• We became more compassionate, courageous, truthful human beings, deepening our belief in the power of the youth voice and the importance of always leading with love.

Poet mentors / East High teachers Kortny Williamson and Kayla O’Connor hosted their very first Movement 515 Spoken Word event at East High last week. The movement is spreading!

Special thanks to North High alum Eduardo Arana for sharing his photographs with us <snaps>. We are in awe of his talent! Follow Eduardo on Twitter here!

We are thankful for collaboration, for allies, positivity, and kids who find the courage to share their truth. Our community is stronger when we provide safe spaces for the youth to use their voices.

Thank you, Michael Wellman, for your storytelling. To read his take on this expansion, click here! To watch highlights from the event, click here!

On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to perform and lead workshops for 8th grade students in Waukee! We built, we collaborated, we shared personal stories and we connected students across class, color, and school district lines in order to spread truth and the notion that our youth are very much so present and alive with the necessary and inspirational skills to lead. Collaboration = Power!

Shout-out to Avery Gregurich for featuring RunDSM in his article in December’s edition of Drake University’s Times- Delphic! We are thankful for his storytelling.

Check out the article here.

The youth of RunDSM were featured in the Iowa Public Television documentary Teen Spotlight #SpokenWordPoetry! We are thankful for the support and community awareness IPTV has provided us, and, most importantly, their willingness to provide the youth an even larger platform to be heard!

To view the powerful documentary, click here!