The Art of Vulnerability
Written by the students of Ms. McGrath's Creative Writing class at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fall 2022
Introduction by Cassandra McGrath
In The Art of Vulnerability, you will find deeply personal writing from seven young poets sharing their hearts, minds and stories with you. Over the past several months, these remarkable students created a safe space in which they shared their innermost thoughts, fears and yearnings with one another. In this environment, students learned that there is no such thing as a “perfect” poem, that it is freeing to talk about painful moments in your life, and that strength lies within vulnerability. Students wrote personal stories and read authors including Ada Limon, Elizabeth Acevedo and Anne Lamott. Students created cultural monologues with the collaboration of the Geffen Playhouse, some of which are included in this book. Students learned that sharing creative ideas is liberating, and they hope you will be empowered to speak your truth.
Special thanks to Tara Ricasa and BJ Lange from the Geffen Playhouse, Angelica Butiu-Coronado and volunteers from 826LA, and to brave young people everywhere.
Everyone has a story worth telling.