by Shania Russell After a very insightful performance at our school, The Bronx Academy Of Letters, I got the chance to sit down with Aja-Monet and ask a few questions about her creative process. During the performance, she spoke briefly about her personal connection to poetry and shared multiple pieces of her own work. With both her poetry and her speaking parts, I noticed a common theme – social justice. Naturally, this is where the interview begun.
by Toni Henderson It’s as if MLK marched for the the children of today just so we could be silenced and abused. Rosa Parks sat down and stood her ground just so we could get beaten with batons, and handcuffed while we all screamed, “I Can’t Breathe!” To the older generation, the events that are occurring today are nothing new, they’ve lived through the hatred and blatant disrespect American has to show towards African Americans. In this country, cases like Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, and as of recently Eric Garner, are just clear signs that America is still evolving. Being that we are the new generation, this comes as a shock to us – and to me, especially being that I am an African American in today’s generation.
by Kevin Parades Photos by Janee Soto Who’s scoring what? What’s new in the world of basketball here at Bronx Letters and beyond.
By Shania Russell We caught up with poet and performer Jon Sands when he visited the Bronx Academy of Letters’ Writers Forum on October 5, 2014.
by Toni Henderson What’s happening to us? The pride and joy of what our parents thought we would be in this lifetime is a disappointment to us all. I notice it, the transition we are slowly making from greatness to stupidity. In this day in age, we have it all: the iPads, iPhones, Macs, PCs, and as people we feel the need to expand the possibilities through our technology, topping everything we have now with something better. But what happens when the greatness we think is so close is actually inconceivable to even our own minds? We need to take a step back into the evolution process. We need to fix the mistake that was made in the equation we thought would work so well, because something is falling short.
Science class has us worried about the polar bears… but are the animals we really need to worry about actually ourselves? An interview with Jamie Munro of System Change Not Climate Change by Weldy Guzman.
by Janée Soto Do you remember the Holocaust? I certainly don’t. I do however know the tragedies that have occurred, and the pain people endured. German cries can still be heard even in America if you simply listen. There are other very dangerous realities happening today in the world and America that many of us don’t stop to hear. Such as an Islamist rebel group that controls territory in Iraq and various other places, better known as ISIS.
by Shania Russell The thought that enters most minds upon hearing the show Glee mentioned is that another teen high school drama is not what TV needs right now. I can tell you without a doubt that those are the people that have never watched more than five minutes of the show.
By Jasherah Nalls “Sound it out, “ she used to say. Whenever she came over to the house, there was barely any time to play. She would come over on a school day to help me with my spelling homework. When she stood over my shoulder, I smelled the alcohol. My memories feel as heavy as a boulder. She wore a do-rag when she didn’t do her hair or what was left of it, the Cancer medication taking away her beauty.
by Christian Lee Rivera The artist and album I am reviewing is Ariana Grande and her album, “My Everything.” Ariana Grande was born on June 26, 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida. While growing up she began her career in the Broadway musical 13, and three years later she became a Nickelodeon superstar on the hit sitcom “Victorious.” She has a mother, father, and an older brother, Frankie. Ariana is half Sicilian, half Abruzzese, and of Italian descent. Ariana Grande has worked very hard to become the singer, songwriter, and talented actress she is now.
The Raven 