Into a Space of Possibility

In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, students in Nichole Mercado's seventh grade English class analyzed and compared Langston's Hughes' poem "I Dream A World" with Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. After a discussion recognizing the connections between the two, students were asked to write individual poems describing their hope for change in the world. The only rule - it had to start with, "I dream a world" - the rest was up to them. 

With titles like, "What If?", "Maybe One Day" and "The World I Want to See" the poems are emotional and timely, touching on the challenge of the 2020 experience along with reflection and a search for understanding surrounding everything from discrimination and disregard to kindness and empathy. See and hear their vision in the following images and audio recordings.