"This is my city and I am one of its citizens. Whatever interests the rest, interests me." Walt Whitman by Octavia McBride-Ahebee

*Student Artwork

"This is my city and I am one of its citizens.

Whatever interests the rest, interests me." Walt Whitman

Greetings! I share the following story as a reminder that even young children understand the importance of standing with their neighbors just as we continue to stand with Yero and others in detention, especially asylum seekers, whose lives depend on our solidarity.

Three years ago, one of my 3rd grade classes, from the Powel School, participated in a special project led by Karin Coonrod, a Yale School of Drama faculty member and founder of Compagnia de' Colombari theatre company. Karin’s project, WOW! Whitman on Walls, was a hybrid event that brought together living poets, film, and Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.”

Over several weeks, she filmed more than 50 performers from around the world, each embodying Whitman’s words. She then invited poets from selected cities, including Philadelphia, to create responses to sections of the poem.

Six Philadelphia poets were chosen, along with my students, who had been immersed all year in poetry reading, writing, and recitation, in my classroom. Karin visited us in May, showing a short film where poets worldwide recited these lines from Whitman:

This is my city and I am one of its citizens.

Whatever interests the rest, interests me.

Some students created artwork in response to the lines, while others collaborated on a group poem. This poem became deeply personal because several students were facing the loss of their homes due to the planned demolition of UC Townhomes, and their classmates joined protests with their families to support them.

When housing displacement occurs, there is rarely attention paid to how schools and students are affected or how a classroom’s demographics can shift overnight.

What made me most proud was watching my students grow into young citizens who cared deeply about their neighbors, expressing that care through both their creative work and their active participation, alongside their families, in the fight to save their friends’ homes.

I will share students' poem and more artwork tomorrow.

*Yero is still awaiting a hearing date. Please continue to support Yero’s campaign and share it widely. Every donation, every share makes a difference. Here is the link to learn more: https://gofund.me/ea76afe0