In a world where everything often feels automated, finding genuine connection can be a challenge. However, it’s essential to reach beyond the screen and connect with those who need it most to help overcome the difficulties we face. We want to share with you a powerful example of how connection can transform lives. Decoded provided youth in Sonoma County Juvenile Hall and throughout the Bay Area an opportunity to share their stories and have an outlet beyond the walls of confinement through a five-month poetry program that resulted in a powerful anthology about the importance of shared experiences and connection.
Our Journey Together
Poetry can be a very powerful medium through which individuals can express their innermost thoughts and feelings — connecting with those around them through the power of their words. This is what our partner, Bay Area Creative, aims to promote. Through our partnership, Bay Area Creative brought creative writing workshops to youth in juvenile hall, guiding them to use poetry as an outlet for emotional expression. Over five months, participants engaged in expressive arts writing groups, exploring their experiences and emotions through poetry. Those pieces were then shared with youth outside the walls of juvenile hall, providing an opportunity for a response and shared understanding of the challenges they faced. The result was a powerful collection of the poems written within Juvenile Hall and responses from youth in high school, understanding, relating to, and connecting with their stories.
Fostering Connection Through Expression
The Unheard Voices Anthology is more than just a collection of poems; it’s a celebration of connection and creativity. This poetry program gave an underserved population an outlet for emotional expression, created connections between youth, and broke down the stigma attached to incarceration. All from simply putting pen to paper. We invite you to dive into these powerful stories and experience the world through the eyes of these poets. By engaging with their words, we can all gain insight into the challenges they face and the strength they embody every day. Connection can be incredibly healing, especially for those grappling with mental health challenges or trauma. When we listen to and share these experiences, we create a supportive environment where others can find solace and resilience in knowing they are not alone.
Whether you choose to explore poetry or some other creative outlet or hobby, having an emotional outlet and a way to connect to others is incredibly important for mental health. If you’re looking to pick up a new hobby, try taking an art or pottery class at your local community college or city programming. You can also learn a variety of skills such as knitting or embroidering through YouTube. Looking to connect with more people interested in your hobby? Look at events on MeetUp or find a server related to your hobby on Dischord. Connection exists everywhere!
BAC Anthology
Bay Area Creative is helping youth expand beyond the screen and find connection through art and poetry. Check out their website and social media to see how you can get involved: @sparcpoetry on Instagram.
To read more about creative expression check out our blog Music for Mental Health and Self-Care.