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The Youth Activist Poetry Anthology Project

Alexa Patrick from Shout Mouse Press stands in front of a bright blue wall and speaks to a room full of young poets. On the rectangular table there are colorful pieces of paper, notebooks, snacks, beverages, and personal belongings.

Image Description: Alexa Patrick from Shout Mouse Press stands in front of a bright blue wall and speaks to a room full of young poets. On the rectangular table there are colorful pieces of paper, notebooks, snacks, beverages, and personal belongings. 


About the Project

Split This Rock’s Youth Activist Poetry Anthology was a program hosted in partnership with Shout Mouse Press during July and August in 2025. For six weeks, 20 young poets from the Washington, DC area gathered for political education and poetry workshops, deepening their understanding and analysis of the issues that are important to them. In Fall 2026, Shout Mouse Press will publish an anthology of the youth activists' work.

In this time of profound political upheaval, creating spaces for youth to gather safely, build community, and explore their creativity as a means of building political power is more important than ever. Join us in celebrating our youth, who have always been at the forefront of movements for social change!


Teaching Artist Team

Youth were guided through poetry-writing and revision workshops led by Split This Rock's talented team of teaching artists: Kenny Carroll, Brandon Douglas, Dwayne Lawson-Brown, and Lauren May. Workshops and lectures with teaching artists covered topics such as: 

  • Solidarity & Belonging with Kenny Carroll
  • Resistance, Resilience, & Survival with Brandon Douglas
  • Gentrification & Belonging with Lauren May
  • Claiming Your Full Self with Dwayne Lawson-Brown
  • Mass Incarceration & the War on Drugs with Kenny Carroll
  • Social Identity, Performance, & Perception with Brandon Douglas
  • Reclaiming Attention from the Distraction of Racism with Lauren May
  • Joy as Revolution with Dwayne Lawson-Brown

Split This Rock’s team of teaching artists pose with Alexa Patrick and Malik Thompson from Shout Mouse Press. In the back row, from left to right: Kenny Carroll, Lauren May, Brandon Douglas, and Malik Thompson. In the front row, from left to right: Dwayne Lawson-Brown and Alexa Patrick. They smile and pose together in front of a colorful mural.

Image Description: Split This Rock’s team of teaching artists pose with Alexa Patrick and Malik Thompson from Shout Mouse Press. In the back row, from left to right: Kenny Carroll, Lauren May, Brandon Douglas, and Malik Thompson. In the front row, from left to right: Dwayne Lawson-Brown and Alexa Patrick. They smile and pose together in front of a colorful mural. 


Workshop Example Poems from The Quarry

Inspired by a dynamic selection of poems from The Quarry: A Social Justice Poetry Database, youth wrote poems and reflective personal essays exploring the social justice themes that have incited them to be leaders and changemakers within our community. Workshop example poems from The Quarry included: 

Malik Thompson from Shout Mouse Press wears a mask and rests his hand on his laptop as he listens to a young poet talk about their work. Another young poet wears a mask and sits at the same table while working on their laptop. Behind them is a colorful mural.

Image Description: Malik Thompson from Shout Mouse Press wears a mask and rests his hand on his laptop as he listens to a young poet talk about their work. Another young poet wears a mask and sits at the same table while working on their laptop. Behind them is a colorful mural. 


Guest Speakers

Guest speakers spoke to youth participants about what led to their own activism and taught about a broad and rich range of topics:

  • Youth’s Roles in Movements for Justice through History with Clint Smith
  • Disability Justice & LGBTQ Rights with Walela Nehanda
  • Immigration & Body Image with Yesika Salgado
  • Racism & the Movement for Black Lives with Christine Platt
  • Palestinian Liberation & Solidarity with Mohammed El-Kurd 

Clint Smith, a guest lecturer for the Youth Activist Poetry Anthology Project, speaks to youth activists virtually. Clint appears on screen next to a view of the room, where young people, teaching artists, and Shout Mouse Press staff sit around a table. Below the large screen, five youth are watching, listening, and taking notes on the lecture.

Image Description: Clint Smith, a guest lecturer for the Youth Activist Poetry Anthology Project, speaks to youth activists virtually. Clint appears on screen next to a view of the room, where young people, teaching artists, and Shout Mouse Press staff sit around a table. Below the large screen, five youth are watching, listening, and taking notes on the lecture.


Youth Activist Reflections & Testimonials

  • “I noticed when I would see things happen in the world that made me feel powerless, I could get a little bit of my power back if I wrote a poem.”

  • “I want my audience to be people whose voices go unheard. The lonely and repressed who think they’ll be silenced forever. The people who need to know that being heard is possible even when the listeners can’t be seen.”  

  • “I love poetry. It is a way to connect to my deep core.”

  • “There is always more love in the world than you think."

  • "[My mission is] to inspire individuals to take up action and come together as a community."

Photo of 7 youth activists writing. They are seated at a long table with papers, writing utensils, and beverages. They look down at their notebooks while they work.

Image Description: Photo of 7 youth activists writing. They are seated at a long table with papers, writing utensils, and beverages. They look down at their notebooks while they work. 


Spotlight on Shout Mouse Press

Shout Mouse Press’ logo. The silhouette of a mouse shouts into a megaphone. In bright blue, the word “SHOUT,” followed by “MOUSE” in black, and “PRESS” in grey.
Image Description: Shout Mouse Press’ logo. The silhouette of a mouse shouts into a megaphone. In bright blue, the word “SHOUT,” followed by “MOUSE” in black, and “PRESS” in grey.

Huge shout out to the brilliant staff at Shout Mouse Press for their commitment to lifting up the contributions of DC area youth through intentional publication processes. We look forward to the anthology’s publication in the fall of 2026. Next year, we’ll  share more details about how you can get your copy!

While you wait, check out The Light Looks Like Me, an anthology of words on love from queer youth from Shout Mouse Press. Split This Rock is proud to be part of the partnership that helped bring this book into being alongside The DC Center for the LGBT Community, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, and SMYAL. Learn more and pick up your copy at Shout Mouse Press’ website.

The book cover for “The Light Looks Like Me: Words on Love from Queer Youth” by the Young Authors of Shout Mouse Press. There is an illustration of two neon-outlined, glowing hands reaching toward each other. The cover also includes text that reads “Foreword by Malinda Lo,” as well as a review of the book from Danez Smith at the top: “In a time when heartlessness, greed, and hate are not just rampant, but elected, these words are lanterns and fireworks in the dark.”

Image Description: The book cover for “The Light Looks Like Me: Words on Love from Queer Youth” by the Young Authors of Shout Mouse Press. There is an illustration of two neon-outlined, glowing hands reaching toward each other. The cover also includes text that reads “Foreword by Malinda Lo,” as well as a review of the book from Danez Smith at the top: “In a time when heartlessness, greed, and hate are not just rampant, but elected, these words are lanterns and fireworks in the dark.”