Two novels that Changed the World

Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Fire Next Time - contributed to the improvement of African-Americans lives and changed the political tone of this nation resulting in the end of slavery and segregation.  Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin provided such a deplorable visual image of the atrocious contradictions of slavery that it sparked the Civil War leading to the emancipation of blacks.  In 1963, Baldwin published a novel entitled, The Fire Next Time, which contributed directly to the Civil Rights Movement

About Urban Poets Up and Coming

Urban Poets Up and Coming (UPUC)

Urban Poets Up and Coming was created to encourage participants to use their writing skills in civic participation.

1. Provides pro-bono and low bono legal services for organizations and individuals seeking to establish business incorporation and 501(c)(3) status when the services they provide benefits at-risk children and poverty areas

2. Provides mentoring and career developmental services to persons who plan to pursue
careers as writers through workshops, publication of writings, and forums for performances at public events

3. Provides a forum for community grassroots organization and participation

4. Provides a literacy program which advocates for children who are not proficient in
reading at their grade levels and assists both children and adults in improving their reading skills. The literacy program uses historical lessons of spoken language and African-American history as a tool to advocate the importance of proficient reading and writing skills to improve communities and quality of life

5. Publishes the newsletter UB1 Power Today!  to promote the specific purposes of UB1
Power in conducting the following: to publish events of UB1 Power, community resources, advertisements of businesses, and publish original writings or poetry of participants of UPUC

6. Monitors the Accountability Ledger which holds accountable the actions of public
employees and governmental agencies by documenting citizens’ complaints on a public forum on UB1 Power’s website

7. Has a laptop for kids program which provides desktop computers to children ten and
under and laptops to children eleven and over; the program is for children who live at or below the federal poverty level

UB1 Power wants you to express yourself - What is Expression?

Expression is the need to be artistic, to be seen, to be heard, to be felt. It is the need to express oneself through words, speech, actions, dress, art and self-creations of all types.

Examples of how Expression manifests for different people:

• Expressing through the Internet (creating web sites, writing newsletters, creating graphic art, stating opinions)
• Writing books, poems, articles
• Reading poetry at coffee houses
• Writing opinion articles for newspapers and magazines
• Public speaking about topics that are near and dear to the speaker
• Creating art in all forms (painting, jewelry, crafts, interior design, graphic design, furniture design, architecture)
• Teaching creative thinking classes or workshops
• Designing company logos or ad campaigns
• Coaching children in creative arts
• Dancing or teaching dance in all forms
• Acting in movies, plays or local theaters

Positive aspects: Demonstrating individual creativity, showing balance, getting in touch with creativity, promoting understanding (by revealing self) through art, words, behavior; being a living expression of "who I am."

Negative aspects: Invasion of other's space (too much self-expression), self-centered, temperamental, blind to other's value, lying, creating or expressing a false image.

How this need affects the workplace: People with a need for Expression will be happiest when they are free to express their inherent creativity. Examples might be through writing or designing a company newsletter; creating a company logo; developing company brochures; designing a new work space arrangement; creating designs for new products , services or related materials; designing or maintaining a company's Internet web site; giving speeches on behalf of the company's values, goals and mission (if they reflect the person's values and beliefs).

In many companies, expression of individuality is rigidly controlled and monitored. This may lead to destruction of an individual's ability to function fully and productively in that environment.

For a person with a need for Expression, such an environment will either drive them toward negative expressions or they will go where their creativity is valued. People who cannot be creative or expressive through their work, may find outlets in community activities that are sufficient to satisfy their need for Expression. (from internet)