Online journal showcases young writers

Here’s news that may help start a new chapter in a young writer’s life. VSA arts, an international nonprofit organization, has launched an interactive online literary journal showcasing creative writing by students who are age 11 to 18 and have a connection to disability. The online journal, “Infinite Difference,” presents pieces selected from a call for flash fiction and poetry.

“Infinite Difference” also includes poems and creative nonfiction by Ekiwah Adler Beléndez, a young poet from Mexico with cerebral palsy, whose story was featured on “Dateline NBC.”

“I cannot walk by myself, yet in my poem I not only walk, but give myself license to have eight legs and experience movement. When I read a poem, on an ephemeral level I go to the places the poet describes,” said Ekiwah.

“We hope Ekiwah’s work and personal story provide a backdrop for the important literary contributions of young people around the world,” said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts.

VSA arts provides a forum for these youthful voices. Students are invited to read the work of their peers and post comments on the site www.vsarts.org.

“Infinite Difference” also offers educators an interactive tool to tackle national writing standards and promote literacy in the classroom.

The call for flash fiction and poetry asked students to “explore the beauty in variety, perceived imperfections, and the infinite complexities of ‘difference.’” A panel of professional writers and teachers judged the submissions and selected the 10 stories and poems that best exemplify the creative voices that emerge from experiences with disability.

As teaching aids, the stories and poems in “Infinite Difference” give educators a tangible tool to engage students in the writing process. By reading and responding to the work of their peers, students make personal connections to writing. Visit www.vsarts.org and explore the thought-provoking and enjoyable works of the young writers of “Infinite Difference.”

VSA arts was founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.