Donate to Support Youth Poet-Activists

 

We believe that poets are agents of social change, and we’ve been hard at work preparing for our Youth Activist Poetry Anthology Project in partnership with local nonprofit Shout Mouse Press. This summer, we will host a six-week program of biweekly political education and poetry writing workshops for a group of DC youth, who will be paid an hourly stipend. Their creative work will result in an anthology of poetry and reflections that Shout Mouse Press will publish in 2026.

Unfortunately, we recently learned we will not receive a grant to help fund this incredible and necessary project. With the new administration in power, the funding landscape has become increasingly fraught— as funders contend with repressive budget cuts and executive orders, grants that have been cornerstones of the literary field are uncertain.

Split This Rock is the only national organization with a mission to integrate poetry and social justice. During this time of escalated attacks on communities we serve and the arts in general, we know how important it is to continue the work we do. We need to find sources of support who are aligned with our commitments and ready to help us sustain our work.

Now, more than ever, we need community support. Will you help us raise $10,000 to close the funding gap and ensure that these young poets can share their stories and creative work in a safe, welcoming space? 

We are committed to protecting young people’s contribution to the poetic record of our social and political conditions as an investment in our collective imagination of a liberated future. Your donation helps us empower young people to deepen their political understanding of the issues that most impact them and give voice to their truths through poetry—to act as agents of change in a moment when immense pressure is being exerted to silence and control them. Will you help us protect and amplify their words by giving your best gift today?

Ways to Donate

• Split This Rock's online giving portal
• To donate by mail, please make checks payable to "Split This Rock" and send them to: Split This Rock, 1301 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 600, Washington DC 20036.

No contribution is too small, and every dollar goes toward realizing Split This Rock's mission. A monthly donation at any level increases stability and support for the organization. Donations are tax deductible and you will receive an emailed tax receipt at the time of your donation. Monthly donors receive a tax receipt for their year's contributions each February.

If you are unable to donate at this time, help us spread the word! Whether it's by re-posting on social media or talking to your friends about Split This Rock's work, it helps tremendously when folks share the poems we publish, the events we offer, and general information about what we do. 

 

With gratitude for your support,

Chelsea, Gowri, and Alexandria
Split This Rock Co-Directors

Image Description: Split This Rock staff members appear in collage above from left to right as follows: Chelsea Iorlano, Alexandria Petrassi, Gowri Koneswaran. 

 

P.S. Applications for the Youth Activist Poetry Anthology project are open until June 1st—please share this opportunity with any young writers living in or near Washington, DC! You can find more information about the program at Shout Mouse Press’s website. 

Split This Rock is featured as a 2024 critical nonprofit in the Greater Washington region by Spur Local. Visit Split This Rock's Spur Local page to give today! Donations given through Spur Local's portal incur the lowest transaction fees.