Friendship and Community expressed in poetry from young South...

Sometimes teachers are blessed with the experience of feeling they’ve learned as much from their students as they taught their students.

Such was the case for Furaha Henry-Jones, Associate Professor of English at Sinclair Community College where she teaches composition, African-American literature and poetry, in July 2012.

During that time, she led the poetry component of the Wright Lead Youth Leadership Institute in Durban, South Africa, guiding 16 high school-age learners from Zwelibanzi, Bechet and other schools in the country to explore how poetry connects to community service and leadership.

The program was developed five years ago by Dr. Jennifer Subban, an Associate Professor of Urban and Public Affairs at Wright State University, where she also directs the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certificate and the Student Philanthropy Project. Dr. Subban is a native of South Africa and works with agencies in the country to ensure its effectiveness.

“The program offers components in various areas, including sports, entrepreneurship, community development, and visual arts and music,” explains Furaha, whose husband Scott led the visual arts and music component. “Poetry was a new offering in 2012, and frankly for some of the students it was not their first choice.”

Nevertheless, Furaha, who is a poet in her own right, was determined to help her young charges explore community and leadership through creating and sharing poetry.

“Of course, another major factor were the divisions that still exist due to apartheid,” explains Furaha. “Although legally apartheid was dismantled slowly in the early 1990s, the emotional vestiges of the system still impact people there, even kids who were born just before or as apartheid was ending. My students included a mix of young people who not so long ago could not legally even speak to one another. Of course, there was some wariness … but learning how to face and manage those concerns is part of the point of the program.”

“I was worried that being American and not knowing South African history in detail would get in the way of my teaching and how I’d connect with my students,” adds Furaha. “But I quickly learned that in the most important ways, kids are kids. They wanted to write angsty poems and poems about frustration and being misunderstood. However, I was also surprised to discover that although Durban is a large, urban city and many students hadn’t had a lot of experience with nature, these students also wanted to write a lot about nature and land.”

Over time, Furaha’s students bonded, and even the most reluctant participants soon became enthusiastic writers and sharers of poetry. One such student—Malachi Nagel—broke out of his defensive veneer and became friends with other kids he’d normally never interact with, and with whom not so long ago he legally could not have spoken to.

“I still think about all of the students,” says Furaha, “but perhaps most especially Malachi. His change in spirit was not only wonderful for him, but also symbolic of the institute’s goal—producing leaders in South Africa who can give back to their local communities in a positive, healing way.”

A collection of Furaha’s students’ poetry was included in the most recent issue of Flights, the literary magazine produced by Sinclair Community College. (Learn more about the magazine at http://flightsscc.wordpress.com/)

Furaha is excited that she’ll return to Durban, South Africa with Dr. Subban’s Wright Lead Youth Leadership Institute in summer, 2014. “I’ll lead a component that will culminate in the youth presenting a TED-like presentation at the end of their 3-weeks together. It will be called UBUNTU Speaks. Ubuntu is a South African philosophy translated as ‘I am because you are. The concept of Ubuntu pervades South African life and manifests itself in many different ways. It is more than unity or community. It is more than the golden rule. We will ask every student to create a talk related to Ubuntu. Some will write or sing. Others may dance. Many will relate it to their leadership learning in the institute. The key is to allow a forum for the open discussion and expression of Ubuntu. Especially with the recent passing of Madiba (Nelson Mandela), the young people who were born free must truly understand their day-to-day role in nation building. Also, the Sinclair Diversity grant project that begins in January is called Ubuntu: Poetry and Community. Dr. Jennifer Subban will lead diversity training for any Sinclair community member to participate in. Those participants will also explore poetry with the Sinclair English department’s poets.”

Tomorrow, Furaha and Scott will perform as part of the city-wide Kwanzaa Celebration of Nia at 6 p.m. in the Sinclair Student Leadership Center in Building 8.

Finally, it seems only fitting to close out this year’s Literary Life columns during this holiday season with the poem “A True Friend” by Furaha’s student Malachi Nagel, reprinted from Flights:

A true friend is there for the good times

And there when you need them the most.

A true friend will not judge you

By how much money you make

What car you drive

Or what kind of clothes you wear.

A true friend loves and accepts you

For who you are.

A true friend is there

When you need someone to talk to,

They pick you up

When you are down.