Poems for Justice

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School

Overview

Throughout history and across identity groups, people have used song and poetry to express their thoughts about injustice and put forth their vision for how to achieve equity and social justice. There are many examples, both contemporary and historical, of artists using song and poetry to change hearts, minds, and ignite action. Amanda Gorman, who delivered the 2021 inaugural poem at Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ Presidential inauguration, was the youngest ever inaugural poet, delivering a powerful and impactful poem.

In this activity, students will:

• Understand what injustice and social justice mean and identify how they manifest in their world.
• Analyze a social justice poem.
• Reflect on issues of social justice that are important to them and then write a poem that expresses their thoughts.