Connect with the creative side... Tell your Truth

I wish I could be there every Tuesday and Thursday!The last three weeks has been quite the journey, but in a good way. As theDenver Foundation Summer Intern, I am only at PlatteForum part-time. I recallparticipating in one of Andrea’s writing workshops and experiencing in depth wherethese students are coming from. Before joining the PlatteForum staff, I would attendopen mics all around the Denver Metro area, and have learned quite a bit aboutpoetry and that there is no clear-cut definition of it. We all know that life happens,but PlatteForum’s goal is that every student walks away thinking they can gaincontrol and take their lives into their own hands. Even now, with the current artistin residency, the students are exploring what it is that makes us human - to facethose moments where “life happens” and talk about it. It’s so beautiful to witnesseach student finding their voice, writing their truth. To confront what it is that isat your doorstep and saying I may not have control of the situation, but I do havecontrol of how I feel and confront it. How powerful is that?! ...and that is just a smallportion of what is actually going on in the creative process. Every day I walked awayfeeling inspired and hopeful for our future.The Artlab students did not always share what they had written down for eachwriting experience. However, Andrea did something that I’d never seen before.She responded to everyone’s writing without scrutiny and also provided positiveobservations on their specific style, the content of the poem, and the writer’s ownperformance style. What I love the most about Andrea is that she is just, real. Shewill openly update you of the status of her project and admit any trouble she herselfmaybe going through in the creative process. Andrea does a phenomenal job ofbringing out the best in others. With each writing prompt she enriches everyone’sconfidence (myself included) and potential. As a writer myself, I appreciate thelevel of engagement and encouragement Andrea provides for Artlab because it ison a level that I haven’t even experience in my time in the Colorado spoken wordcommunity. PlatteForum’s goal is that every student walks away thinking they cangain control and take their lives into their own hands.On the days I miss, I wish I’d hadn’t.~ Josh