Podcast 57 – Meghan Markle & Prince Harry get poetic for Black History Month

Meghan and Harry dropped in by zoom to surprise participants in a 'Get Lit' Black History Month poetry class - thrilling the people there!
 
February marks Black History Month in the US. Started in America in order to remember the important people and events in the history of the lives of people of African decent, Black History Month was first proposed in the format of a month-long celebration by black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University, in Ohio.
 
 https://getlit.org/

The Get Lit organization was founded in 2006 after Diane Lane created a one-woman show about the power of books and toured colleges, high schools, jails, and detention centers, taking New Mexican born poet Jimmy Santiago Baca with her. After the show closed, she says that she couldn’t bear the thought of cutting off the work completely, so she started teaching classic and spoken word poetry in high school. When the semester ended, the students wouldn’t leave, they insisted on meeting after school. The rest as they say is history. Today, the curriculum has expanded to over 100 schools throughout California, and is sold to schools all over the world. 

In a nutshell, Get Lit uses poetry to increase literacy in students across the US and across the world, and also promotes poetry as a way to empower youth and inspire communities. 

Poetry as a form as expression in its own right is really huge right now and is set to get even more popular following Amanda Gorman’s two inspiring and uplifting poetry recitals over recent weeks. Firstly at the Presidential Inauguration and then just before the coin toss at the NFL Superbowl.  

Meghan and Harry are said to have really engaged in the zoom poetry class with Meghan sharing some of her favorite poetry lines. The participants in their social media post praised the couple for being kind and for genuinely knowing how to connect with people, saying they were so grateful for the visit in honor of Black History Month. Participants posted that it was a most surreal yet epic experience!

Keep looking out for future podcasts on all things Meghan, Harry and Archie.

And check out my blog at www.kindthoughtsformeghanmarkle.com

Show written and produced by Jeanette Songolo.

Please keep listening for future podcasts on all things Meghan, Harry, Archie and Lili and in the meantime watch out for other posts on all things Sussex on my blog at https://www.kindthoughtsformeghanmarkle.com/