Get Lit Words Ignite Inc

"GET LIT" - WORDS IGNITE PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIFE-SAVING VEHICLES OF EXPRESSION TO CREATE STRONG, EMBOLDENED LEADERS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO BUILD UP COMMUNITIES FOR A MORE EQUITABLE WORLD.

IN 2021-22, WE LAUNCHED UNI(VERSE), THE WORLD'S FIRST INTERACTIVE POETRY WEB PLATFORM FOR THE CLASSROOM AND YOUTH COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING BOTH WRITING AND PERFORMANCE SKILLS. BASED ON OURAWARD-WINNING CURRICULUM WITH PROVEN IMPACT, UNI(VERSE) IS A LEADING-EDGE FUSION OF EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND MEDIA THAT GIVES STUDENTS THE ABILITY TO ACCESS OUR PROGRAM ONLINE AND TO EXCHANGE IDEAS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. IT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH STANDARDS-ALIGNED ACADEMIC RIGOR, PEER-TO-PEER FEEDBACK, VITAL SOCIO-EMOTIONAL OUTLETS, AND THE JOY OF ARTISTIC CREATION.

WE ALSO CREATED TWO DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ETHNIC STUDIES COURSES. ETHNIC STUDIES WILL BE A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT STARTING IN 2023-2024 FOR ALL CALIFORNIA STUDENTS, INCLUDING THE 400,000 CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN LAUSD. OUR GROUNDBREAKING ENGLISH/ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULA WERE CO-WRITTEN AND CURATED BY GET LIT, CO-CREATED AND SUPERVISED BY BIPOC EDUCATOR-POETS, MODERATED BY OUR YOUTH POETS, AND INCLUDE 200 POEMS BY ARTISTS OF COLOR. THROUGH THESE CURRICULA, STUDENTS WILL LEARN THE COMPLEXITIES OF INTERSECTIONALITY, UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANT GIFTS AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS OF POETS OF COLOR, AND FEEL EMPOWERED TO CONNECT ACROSS CULTURES. APPROXIMATELY 40,000 LOS ANGELES COUNTY STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THEIR ENGLISH AND/OR ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULA VIA UNI(VERSE) IN 2022-23.

GET LIT WAS THE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE CALIFORNIA SURGEON GENERAL ON THEIR ACES (ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES) NUMBER STORY CAMPAIGN. OUR POETS HAVE ALSO RECENTLY PERFORMED FOR AND/OR COLLABORATED WITH MY FRIEND'S PLACE (HOMELESS YOUTH), WORTHY OF LOVE L.A. (CHILDREN ON SKID ROW), RIVERSIDE COUNTY LIBRARY, PBS SOCAL SERIES ARTBOUND, L.A. COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART, L.A. PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE (BLACK HISTORY MONTH), THE OFFICE OF L.A. COUNTY SUPERVISOR MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS (MLK DAY), AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES (HACLA) TO INSPIRE THEIR YOUTH.

OUR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM "OUR WORDS COLLIDE," THAT FOLLOWS THE LIVES OF SEVERAL GET LIT YOUTH POETS, RECEIVED THE 2022 ADL STAND UP AWARD FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE. TWENTY-SEVEN GET LIT POETS CO-WROTE AND CO-STARRED IN THE FILM SUMMERTIME DIRECTED BY CARLOS LPEZ ESTRADA. THE FILM PREMIERED OPENING NIGHT AT THE 2020 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL, OPENED IN 100 THEATERS ACROSS THE U.S. IN JULY 2021 TO CRITICAL ACCLAIM, AND IS NOW WIDELY AVAILABLE ON STREAMING PLATFORMS. IT WAS GIVEN A "CERTIFIED FRESH" DESIGNATION BY ROTTEN TOMATOES, AND WAS VOTED EDITORS' CHOICE BY THE ITUNES CURATION TEAM. OUR YOUTH POETS CREATED ALL VIDEO CONTENT FOR THE "WHY WE RISE" CAMPAIGN, OUR ONGOING EDUCATION AND PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP WITH THE L.A. COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH THAT INCLUDES AN ONLINE POETRY CONTEST TO SHARE STORIES, CULTIVATE COMMUNITY, AND DE-STIGMATIZE MENTAL HEALTH.2021-22 SAW OUR FIRST COHORT OF MIXTAPE MASTERCLASS. ENTERED BY AUDITION, THIS NEW PROGRAM TRAINS STUDENTS HOW TO CREATE, PRODUCE, EDIT, AND RECORD ORIGINAL MUSIC ON OUR PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT. THIS PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH OUR GOAL OF BROAD ARTISTIC LITERACY FOR GET LIT YOUTH THROUGH NOT ONLY POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD, BUT ALSO THROUGH VISUAL AND MUSICAL ARTS.