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In Honor of National Poetry Month | Manny Cantor Center NYC
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    In honor of National Poetry Month

    Excerpt from a poem by Croilot Semexan, College Advisor/Program Coordinator, in honor of National Poetry Month:

    Educational Alliance

    We maybe Health and Fitness
    but don’t get it twisted

    We be arroz con habituela talking that Spanglish
    on East 1st, 2nd, and 3rd street?

    We be mac and cheese with Kool Aid popsicles
    upfront and bold doing the

    Patty Cake! Patty Cake!

    We be the Great Wall of China
    build right on Canal Street
    bearing the children of broken English

    We are ESOL on a brand new level

    Jewish before and after Shabbat
    Shalom brother! Shalom Sister!

    We are
    ART

    We felt the hunger of a star before birth
    sketched on the stomach of a goddess
    crossing Delancey Street
    painted on a canvas
    looking like you and I

    book smart/ street smart

    Joined and tangled
    tight and swift like ropes in-between jumping jacks

    We are Pride Sites/Project Help

    So brave,
    we overcome the crack/cocaine

    So strong,
    we survive Hurricanes like Sandy

    so tough,
    you can feel the drive
    channeling out of the lips of our youth
    dying to make it to college

    We are Youth Development

    Where our teachers
    family workers
    administrators
    CEO’s and staff
    Understand you
    because
    they were
    once
    you

    We have senior citizens
    That will out dance you because
    We are
    THEATER

    This is where our 2,3,4, and 5 year olds
    will teach you how to sleep in peace
    after 9-11
    at a Head Start or
    Early Head Start

    We are
    School of the Future

    White, Black, Brown
    Turquoise blues

    You can smell the diversity
    At 12 o’clock noon

    Where hands are
    Joined, tangled, in
    Knotted
    Tight ropes
    So strong
    That an allegiance is formed
    At the

    Educational Alliance