The Plug: June 2nd, 2017

The Plug: June 2nd, 2017

 

Hello YCA Fam,
Welcome to our Friday blog, The Plug. Here we will be posting weekly about writing competitions, events, workshops, internships, & jobs that you can partake in. Some of these competitions and events are hosted by your next-door neighbors, and some from friends across the country. Many of these opportunities while rooted in poetry, will also allow you to explore different types of writing and art forms. If you explore any of these opportunities, share the experience on social media and tag us (@youngchiauthors on Twitter & @youngchicagoauthors on Instagram).

Competitions/Publications:

Youth Speaks– I Want To Live
“Across the United States, young men of color are often presented by the media – and perceived by the public, the police and law enforcement – as threatening, dangerous, and criminal. This puts them in life-threatening situations. YOUTH SPEAKS is calling for young men of color to share their experiences of being profiled and/or brutalized. Ultimately, we want to show the pervasiveness of this epidemic through the thousands of stories young men will tell. In the face of reckless disregard for the lives of young people, I Want To Live calls for an end to dehumanizing men of color. Share your story. Be a part of the solution.”
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: None
IUPUI Poetry Contest (Indiana Residents Only)

“The IUPUI Office of Academic Affairs, the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, and the IUPUI Department of English invite all high school age students within the state of Indiana to participate in the IUPUI Poetry Contest. The deadline for the 2017 contest is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, June 15. First, second, and third-place winners will receive a monetary award, publication of their poem on our website, and are eligible to receive a $1500 scholarship upon enrollment at IUPUI. Students receiving honorable mentions will receive a book by one of our judges and publication on our site. All poetry contest applicants may receive additional scholarships upon being admitted to IUPUI based upon their academic and financial aid qualifications.”
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: Monday, June 15th, 2017
Kay Snow Writing Contest

“The purpose of this annual writing contest, named in honor of Willamette Writers’ founder, Kay Snow, is to help writers reach professional goals in writing through a broad array of categories, and also to encourage student writers. In addition to prizes, winners will be listed on the Willamette Writers website and honored at our Willamette Writers Conference held annually in August.”
Entry Fee: Entries in the college student category are $10 each, entries in the student category in the three grade divisions are free.
Deadline: Monday, June 15th, 2017
Rattle Young Poets Anthology Guidelines

“Way back in 1998, Rattle published an issue featuring poems written by children. Unfortunately it is now out of print. Starting in 2013, we’ve extended that idea, and began publishing an annual anthology of young poets. The books are available in print, and all of the poems appear as daily content on this website on Saturdays throughout the year. Every poet contributing receives two free print copies.”
Entry Fee: Free
Deadline: Monday, June 15th, 2017
Brave New Schools Competition

“Submit original videos with poems/raps/stories (up to 3 minutes) that ReThink the Brave New Schools of our future (Must be 13-24 years old as of May 8, 2017, to enter). Entry is subject to full competition terms and conditions, posted on the challenge site.”
Entry Fee: Free
Deadline: Monday, June 15th, 2017
2017 Ocean Awareness Student Contest

“At Bow Seat, we recognize the power of our young ocean caretakers, and our goal is to inspire them to lead the way to finding innovative solutions to ocean pollution. We want you to #BeTheChange. You may choose to focus your work on one type of pollution, or the impact of ocean pollution as a whole. Whichever way you choose, we want your submission – visual art, poetry, prose, or film–to make viewers reflect on the impact of ocean pollution, inspire them to consider possible solutions, and challenge them to take action.”
Entry Fee: Free
Deadline: Saturday, June 19th, 2017
Links: http://www.fromthebowseat.org/contest.php

Gigantic Sequins: Teen Sequins 2017

“Our annual Teen Sequins feature is designed to present outstanding poetry from writers ages 13 through 19. While teenage voices are slowly being given more opportunities in literary communities, we don’t see it happen enough in association with nationally distributed journals like Gigantic Sequins. Each year we feature one poet from each age category, and honor every poet who has submitted. Our goal is to show the world what we know: just exactly how vibrant, inventive, and moving teenage writers can be.”
Entry Fee: Free
Deadline: July 20th, 2017
Links: http://www.giganticsequins.com/teens.html

Upcoming Classes:

SheCrew- Annual Summer Intensive

“[A] 6-week journaling to performance summer program for girls in Chicago ages 12-14. {she crew}’s multidisciplinary curriculum involves: creative journal writing, theatrical movement, voice & speech classes, professional workshops, improvisation, theatre games, nutritious cooking and shared meals to create community and generate new artistic works.”
Start Date: June 27-August 6th, Tuesdays-Fridays.
Location: 800 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60607
Writing & Thinking Workshop (Rolling Admission)

“Supportive faculty work with students in small groups to help them develop confidence in their voices as writers. Participants learn strategies to generate fresh and compelling ideas, the kind of well-reasoned ideas first-rate colleges and universities expect from their students. Trips to Chicago’s museums and cultural events offer additional inspiration. You’ll grow in ways that you can now only imagine.”
Start Date: Sunday, June 25th, 2017
Location: 555 North Sheridan Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Write To The City (Rolling Admission, First Come, First Serve)

“Over one hundred young writers from all corners of the city and across the country come together for one week of nonstop art. Students take daily field trips within Chicago’s arts scene and rich cultural landscape, exploring visual, performance, and literary arts, building community, and developing a body of work through workshops led by world-class poets and artists. WTTC is a fee-based program, with scholarships available to qualifying students.”
Start Date: Monday, July 10th, 2017
Location: 400 S Peoria St, Chicago, IL 60607

Events:

Wordplay

“WordPlay is the longest-running youth open mic in Chicago. Every Tuesday night, poets aged 12-25 come through Young Chicago Authors to participate in a writing workshop, perform their original work, and listen to music and poetry by artists of all genre and skill level.”
Event Date: Every Tuesday starting at 6:00pm
Entry Fee: None
Location: 1180 N Milwaukee Ave, #2 / Chicago, IL 60642
In One Ear 18+ (Unless accompanied by a parent/guardian)
“Pete Wolf! Billy Tuggle! Every Wednesday night at 9!
FREE PARKING AT CHURCH LOT, Morse and Ashland, till 3am
Morse stop on the Red-line, North Exit (Lunt Ave.) Very inviting and supportive mix of folks of all ages, skill sets, and walks of life coming together to share out arts, moods, comedies and stories. Come and Join our family!”
Event Date: Every Wednesday starting at 9:00pm
Entry Fee: $3
Location: 7000 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
Telling Our Stories Workshop

“We all have a story to tell. From the oral tradition of the West African griot, to sharing our experiences, to dreams of tomorrow, storytelling is universal in every culture. This FREE “Telling Your Stories Workshop” for youth and adults will help you capture your story.”
Event Date: Saturday, June 3rd, 10:30pm–2:30pm
Location: 8100 S Calumet Ave, Chicago, IL 60619
Young, Latinx & Proud: Latinx Uniting for Real Justice

“Calling all our Latinx peoples! Young, Latinx & Proud (YLP) is hosting a gathering of Latinxs to build a Latinx platform for real justice and radical transformation. Come through! No more waiting…now we act. No more division…now we unite. No more dreaming of change…now we make it happen. No more trusting politicians to represent us…now we represent ourselves! No activism/organizing experience necessary (our experiences as Latinxs are enough). Bring yourself, your vision, your pride, your frustrations, your joy, your love, your ways of resisting, your friends, your fam, your neighbors. We highly encourage all ages to come, as one of our goals is to build love and solidarity across all ages in our Latinx communities. Not invited: racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and any behavior that disrupts productive and consensual dialogue.”
Event Date: Saturday, June 3rd, 1:00pm–2:30pm
Location: 805 S Loomis St, Chicago, IL 60608
Pop-Up Magazine Spring Issue at the Harris Theater

“What happens when your favorite writers, artists, radio producers AND an orchestra make a live show together? Pop-Up Magazine! Our multimedia storytelling events aren’t recorded, so you have to be there to see it. This tour’s lineup includes This American Life producer Karen Duffin, Chicago Reader Deputy Editor Robin Amer, The New York Times bestselling author Jon Ronson, MAGIK MAGIK orchestra, and more.”
Event Date: Saturday, June 3rd, 7:00pm–10:00pm
Location: 205 E Randolph Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
@Will: A Short Play Festival
“The Commission Theatre Company presents @Will: A Short Play Festival In response to Shakespeare’s line, “no woman shall come within a mile of my court,” six incredibly talented playwrights have created fresh and engaging new works that explore the nuance and complexity of modern womanhood.”
Event Date: Saturday, June 3rd starting at 8:00pm through Sunday, June 5th starting at 3:00pm
Location: 8100 S Calumet Ave, Chicago, IL 60619
A Surprised Queenhood In The New Black Sun: The Life And Legacy Of Gwendolyn Brooks

“Award-winning writer Angela Jackson delves deep into the rich fabric of Brooks’s work and world. Granted unprecedented access to Brooks’s family, personal papers, and writing community, Jackson traces the literary arc of this artist’s long career and gives context for the world in which Brooks wrote and published her work. It is a powerfully intimate look at a once-in-a-lifetime talent up close, using forty-three of Brooks’s most soul-stirring poems as a guide.”
Event Date: Tuesday, June 6th, 5:00pm–7:00pm
Location: 180 N Michigan Ave, Second Floor Chicago, IL 60601
We Real Cool: A Celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks’s 100th Birthday

“Join us for the premiere of Manual Cinema’s video honoring Gwendolyn Brooks, who was born one hundred years ago on June 7, 1917. Using simple, illuminative paper-cut puppetry, this enchanting video imagines the moment of witness that inspired Brooks to write her landmark poem, “We Real Cool.” Created by Manual Cinema in association with Crescendo Literary with music by Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods.”
Event Date: Tuesday, June 6th starting at 6:30pm
Location: 1852 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608
BrooksDay@Nite
“BrooksDay is a celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks that takes place on the anniversary of her birth, June 7th. Each year you can join us for BrooksDay, celebrating the works of Gwendolyn Brooks on her birthday! Each year we honor her legacy as an artist and an iconic figure of generosity and civic conscience in Chicago and in the nation. And 2017 will be all the more spectacular with the City of Chicago and its myriad arts organizations celebrating Brooks during the 2017 centennial. BrooksDay is the marquee event for these celebrations –an evening of Gwendolyn Brooks on her 100th birthday.”
Event Date: Wednesday, June 7th starting at 5:30pm
Entry Fee: $35-$45
Location: 915 East 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637
 
Job & Internship Opportunities:

Youth Outdoor Ambassador Intern

“This position will support the operations of the Department of Conservation and Experiential Programming (CEP). Interns will assist all CEP staff and could work in all/any CEP locations including, but not limited to, General Office, Nature Centers, and Campgrounds. Interns will provide support in a variety of administrative tasks, assignments, programs and operational functions, and will performs other duties as required or assigned. This is a seasonal position, up to six (6) months.”
Company: Forest Preserve District
Deadline: June 11, 2017
Pay: $10/hr
Links: https://cookcountyil.taleo.net/careersection/400/jobdetail.ftl

CSBG Scholarship Program

“You are eligible to apply for the 2017 CSBG Scholarship if you meet the following requirements:
Resident of the City of Chicago
Enrolled full-time in an Illinois college/university/trade school.
Income eligible and provide proof of income for 3 months (13 weeks) (see table below)”

Company: Chicago

Deadline: Saturday, June 10th, 2017
The Queens of the Castro 2017 for Chicago and NYC Scholarship
“All 16-25-year-olds in Chicago and NYC who identify with the LGBTQ+ community can apply for $1000.”
Deadline: Thursday, June 15th, 2017