LibGuides: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion &amp; Belonging (DEIB): Poetry for DEI

"Poetry, with its spare language, can serve as an inviting and insightful starting point to begin deep conversations on combating racism." -Padma Venkatraman

"Arranged in words, coloured with images, struck with the right meter, the power of poetry has no match. As an intimate form of expression that opens doors to others, poetry enriches the dialogue that catalyses all human progress, and is more necessary than ever in turbulent times." - Audrey Azoulay

Poet Laureate of Paterson, Talena Lachelle Queen, joins Steve Adubato at the NJEA Convention to talk about her passion for poetry and how it can be used to educate and empower students.

Recommended Resources

Teaching Ideas: Using Poetry as a Starting Point to Combat Hate
Offers techniques on different types of activities to get started.
Use of Poetry to Facilitate Communication About Diversity: An Educational Model
"This article addresses the use of poetry to enhance group communication about issues of gender and cultural diversity. The authors present a three-hour workshop module."
Verse Journalism: The Poet as Witness
Teaching history and current events through a new type of poetry writing.
'My Name Is:" Celebrating Diverse Identities Through Poetry
Describes a writing workshop for students featuring Latine poets and artists.
4 Tools for Teaching with Poetry
"Facing History invites educators to weave poetry into classroom instruction using four of our teaching resources to shed light on historical and contemporary experiences and to help students process their own identities and emotions."

Five Minute Poem Icebreaker
An activity to do in a group to introduce each other. Poems can be shared in large groups or in pairs.

UNESCO World Poetry Day
A collection of resources in celebration for World Poetry Day.
Poetry & Practice Writing Activities
Includes links to prompts and exercises for a wide range of users.

How to Create Blackout Poetry

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB)

Specialist Librarian

Recommended Resources