'Canes On Da Mic

Thank you for a great 5 years!

2015-2019 (and forever in the hearts and minds of all the teen poets who came through our program)

Canes On Da Mic Poetry Club was co-founded by teacher Nicole A. Harris and then student, Adrian Dixon in 2015. We would not have been able to have the impact we had if you did not attend shows, donate venue space, time, goods, and money, speak life into our students, invite us to panels/conferences, and so much more! Learn more about our impact and current opportunities on the rest of the page.

Our legacy and impact

'Canes On Da Mic Poetry Club was a literary arts and civic engagement organization dedicated to free and open, creative expression of young minds. What started as an after school club of about 5-10 students blossomed into a beautiful family of about 40 students a week from all area high schools. Pretty soon, the community caught on and under the leadership of Nicole A. Harris, strong community partnerships formed and we were able to have anywhere from 4-5 major shows a year with audiences of 100-150.

Every week for five years Ms. Harris tapped into youthful energy to help them share their ideas with the world through sonnets, haikus, limericks, villanelles, free verse, cinquains, and all other forms of poetry and creative expression to be in healthy, open dialogue with their peers about issues that mattered most to them. We still hold the belief that the arts inform social justice and compassion. As a no judgement zone, everyone was welcome. Students abided by student-generated tenets to foster a sense of respect and safety. They were taught how to support dialogue through trauma and healing. Those who were willing and committed were trained in leadership skills and we created a strong alumni network. Whether a student loved to write since they were a kid or just interested in starting, there was "A Place" for them.

This web site will temporarily serve as an archive and legacy page of the organization that served hundreds county wide! Ms. Harris is now available to help bring a 'On Da Mic Collective to your institution and lead presentations on how this powerful tool of storytelling and pedagogy can increase learning outcomes. (Her new site with listed services coming soon. For now, see contact below):

For inquiries concerning:

youth performance coaching
consultations on how implement a similar program at your school that suits the needs of your student population
bringing in Nicole A. Harris as teaching artist
presentations on the power of story telling and pedagogy

Contact Ms. Harris and harrisna@gm.sbac.edu

Ms. Harris hosting/organizing a teen poetry event with former local partner.

NEWS & UPDATES

Follow us on Instagram to follow any updates that may still occur and see tributes to the last 5 years.

check out our first year video recap below!

CLICK HERE TO READ ONE OF OUR FIRST FEATURES IN THE GAINESVILLE SUN NEWSPAPER