White House Honors Detroit Poets

Category: Living Published on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 13:07 Written by Chronicle Staff

First Lady Michelle Obama honored Detroit’s InsideOut Literary Arts Project during a recent White House ceremony for its City Wide Poets after-school program.

InsideOut, a Skillman Foundation-funded program that encourages young people to write and perform poetry, received a 2009 “Coming Up Taller” award. It is a national initiative which recognizes and supports outstanding after-school arts and humanities programs for youth, especially those with great potential but limited outlets for creative expression.  Organizations are recognized for the quality of their programming and the tangible effect on young lives.

“It was an event to savor for the rest of my life,” said Terry Blackhawk, founder of InsideOut. “The First Lady actually quoted us in her opening remarks at the White House ceremony.”

Learn more at www.insideoutdetroit.org.