Metaphors meet music we call it lyrical
Irony so sharp you bleed satirical
Similes swing low like a Negro spiritual
Allusions so royal our words are imperial
It’s the bar we’re raising, verbally brazen,
mentally dazing
Until you’re praising the paraphrasing
Divergent thinking... is truly amazing
Phoenix/Medina Writers Project Inc. Presents: Lyrikal Storm Writers and Spoken Word Artists
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Inception: Understanding the needs of area youth to express
themselves effectively, Neville Adams and Aliya Carter created the group
Lyrikal Storm in 2002. Starting with only a handful of Parkdale High
School students, the group focused on poetry writing and performance,
coupled with the philosophy that everyone has a voice. Later joined by
Yvonne Brown as co-director, the group became an outlet for students
and increased in size to over 40 members from various areas of Prince
George’s County, Montgomery County, and Washington, DC. Under the
direction of the Phoenix Medina Writer's Project Inc., Lyrikal Storm has
increased the critical thinking, reading, writing, and communication skills
of scores of youth in the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Philosophy: The group has adopted 5 core principals that guide the
organization:
1-Knowledge is essential
2-Community/global awareness and involvement is a civic duty
3-Strive for sophistication, mediocrity is not an option
4-Critical thinking and speaking is key to mobility
5-Once a member, always a member
Each alumni is charged with creating a poetry group, writing group or
organization that impacts not only the immediate community, but the
global community as well. So far to date groups linked to Lyrikal Storm
alumni are Da Movement Poets (Social Activist Spoken Word Group),
Poutre (Howard University Spoken Word Group), poetry clubs in Elizabeth
City, Frostburg, Maryland Eastern Shore, and Delaware State
Universities.
Accolades: Since the initial stages the group has performed in more than
30 venues and has been featured in the Prince George’s Post, The
Prince George’s and Montgomery County Gazette, and The Washington
Post. The members have hosted numerous open mic sessions and have
been featured at various venues to include Starbucks Café, The Mocha
Hut, Infusions Tea Cafe, Mayorga's Coffee, Cafe Mawanaj, the Capital
Bookfest, numerous religious organizations, and others. The group has
been commissioned by the director of Maryland Park and Planning to
host a Black history Poetry Slam and to perform at the employee
Christmas Extravaganza at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning
Complex. Members were selected to perform in the National Youth
Poetry slam in New York City in April 2006 then in San Jose, California in
July 2007. Members have also been featured on Prince George’s CTV
Channel 76 program, “Sojourn With Words”, WPFW radio program "2K
Nation", im4radio weekly broadcast, and XM radio amongst others.