Hannah's Help Publish Pongo Youth Poetry!

Pongo is an organization that's close to my heart. For twenty-three years since its founding by Richard Gold, Pongo has committed itself to bringing over 6,000 largely marginalized youth to the healing power of writing. With a commitment to social justice and writing as a healing practice, Pongo runs trauma-informed writing programs inside juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, psychiatric hospitals, and other sites. Pongo provides its authors with the opportunity to write about the worst experiences imaginable – often for the first time – but in a way that feels safe, offers relief, leads to openness, and facilitates healing.  Pongo's young writers produce heart-rending, beautiful poetry that becomes a part of their healing process, that brings them self-discovery, resilience, and creative joy. 

One of my favorite youth poems that I keep at my desk at work is called "You Wish I Was The Girl I Was." It was written by a seventeen year-old girl named Sherita (name changed for anonymity). The last stanza takes my breath away as Sherita addresses her grandma, whom she used to go to church with before she was in juvenile detention:

"I was respectful / your favorite granddaughter / not doing any drugs / going to school / dreaming that I can be an artist / drawing hearts with birds / whose beautiful voices were / telling you, Grandma, / have faith in Sherita / She'll become the girl she was / real soon."

Sherita's poem is just one example of how the Pongo method allows youth writers to give voice to their pain, their dreams, and hold their brokenness. 

 With our help, Pongo will be able to publish more poems like this in their 16th anthology of youth poetry, The Story of My Heart, this June. The anthology will feature a decade worth of youth poetry from the Child Study & Treatment Center (CSTC), the only state-run psychiatric hospital for youth in Washington state.

Pongo needs $5,000 to release the book. If I do my part and raise $200, we'll meet that goal. 

Why help Pongo?:

• Study after study indicates that Pongo mentorship provides therapeutic healing to youth in crisis; Pongo mentors work closely with psychologists and counselors to allow youth to hold their trauma and gain confidence in writing about their experiences 
• Publishing the work of Pongo writers instills confidence in youth, demonstrating that their stories have value
•  Pongo's publishing connects its youth authors with the wider community, raising awareness about their traumatic experiences, the conditions that give rise to it, and the resilience they demonstrate in response

Your contribution will pay for everything from a book designer, to printing costs, to promotional events to publicize the release. Furthermore, your support will pay for Pongo to donate free copies to the writers they serve, their families, and youth at peer organizations. Plus, if you contribute $100 or more to this campaign, you'll receive a complimentary copy of the book this June.

With your support, Pongo can make The Story of My Heart, a reality. Together, we can showcase the beautiful work of youth who have participated so creatively and beautifully in their healing.

If you want to learn more about Pongo's work or how you can get involved, click here to visit their website or email developmentmanager@pongoteenwriting.org.