upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024
As a poet, Patricia's art is her voice. It is not only personal therapy; it is her tool for social change. When creating a work of art, she is able to flush out her anger and frustration, work out any inner problems, thus being able to live a healthy life. Patricia discovers and expresses her view of the world through her poetry, using art for social change by challenging and inspiring people to think. Four years ago, she founded Tomorrow's Girls, a summer program for 8-13 year-old girls focusing on learning life skills and empowerment through creative and cultural expression. The program began out of a need to offer an emotionally safe space for new and beginning poets to create. Now the focus is on strengthening artists, developing leaders, and creating change in her community through artistic culture. Patricia has also created a poetry therapy workshop, Poetry Pulls Pain, that she has shared with numerous educational institutions, women's organizations, and transitional homes. The workshop is designed to promote awareness and self-healing that comes when one's own words are used to recognize the negative notions and emotions that prevent people from moving forward in a positive way. She uses poetry as a way to encourage others, as well as herself, to contemplate life, feelings, and spirituality, knowing that poetry can heal and connect us.