The Thunderbirds Charities grant for the Project Lit program will support direct program costs tied to teaching artists and supplies. In the coming year Project Lit will impact the lives of over 4,000 youth across the Valley by promoting literacy skills through poetry, spoken word and hip hop.
“We are grateful for the continued support of Project Lit by Thunderbirds Charities. Project Lit uses poetry, spoken word, and hip hop to promote literacy and activate social and emotional learning with young and emerging adults. The program runs from September through the spring and culminates into a Youth Poetry Festival and our annual Youth Poetry Anthology book,” explained Tomas Stanton, Engagement Manager at Mesa Arts Center. “This year’s Youth Poetry Anthology is our third, and the release date is in April. Much of the poetry in this year’s book is very heartfelt – students are expressing a lot of anxiety and uncertainty because of the pandemic. Writing gives students an outlet to positively communicate their feelings, which starts the process of healing.”
This grant is part of the Fall 2020 cycle. View a list of all Recent Grantees.