Black Lives Matter at School Poetry Slam
Student performers at Breakthrough Montessori’s Black History Month Poetry Slam Showcase.
From the moment they stepped in, shouting “HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!”, to the final song “Stand by Me,” the Black History Month showcase at Breakthrough Montessori PCS was a celebration of community, self-expression, and Black joy.
Myiesha Reid, Breakthrough’s literacy specialist, has been helping to organize Black History Month events for eight years across the various schools she’s taught at in the D.C area. At Breakthrough Montessori, students spent five weeks preparing for this year’s poetry slam. With the help of Ms. Myeisha, the students selected poems that resonated with them, many stepping onto a stage for the first time. Each performer was introduced with a song of their choice, setting the tone for their piece. The audience affirmed them with claps and cheers, lifting them up when they stumbled.
Throughout the event, students brought to life the 13 guiding principles of Black Lives Matter at School, such as diversity, collective value, and loving engagement. Some recited classic pieces like Langston Hughes’ “I, Too, America”, Maya Angelou’s “The Caged Bird”, and Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool”. Others incorporated movement, stepping and dancing as they spoke.
Behind the performers, a wall of student-made posters displayed the 13 grounding principles of Black Lives Matter, along with an added principle developed by the school — honoring Black men.
Ana Schwartz, the school’s Director of Equity and Engagement, shared that the school evaluated the 13 principles and realized that there was an opportunity to showcase a principle that mattered to the school. Each poster was created by one of the school’s 15 classes. Throughout the month, presentations and activities reinforced the principles, ensuring that by the end of a three-year cycle, students will have engaged deeply with at least half of them.
The Black History Month showcase ended on a high note with a performance of “Stand by Me,” as students and teachers joined in. It was a fitting close to an morning filled with powerful self-expression and collective celebration.