Street Poets Podcast Street Poets Inc.

In our season-ending cross-over episode which first aired on the podcast “I’m No Hero,” Street Poets Founder and former Executive Director Chris Henrikson shares some of the challenges, joys and hard-won wisdom from Street Poets’ early days - in conversation with our former associate director, comedy writer Justin Heimberg (a.k.a. Justy Jones). Street Poets has come a long way since Chris first began teaching poetry to the incarcerated boys at Camp Fred Miller (Los Angeles County Probat...

This episode illuminates the inspiring origin story of Street Poets' former Artistic Director, poet/author and Minister of Metaphor, Barbara Fant. Since her early days growing up in Youngstown, Ohio, Barbara has followed her calling – the transformational practice of poetry – through hardship and healing, darkness and light, to the cafe open-mics of Columbus to West Africa to our City of Angels and beyond. Barbara's journey is a celebration of the power of the Word. It's a r...

"THE BURNING RIVER," an origin story for aspiring adults, was conceived as a narrative prayer for transformation & peace. Inspired by the many traditional stories and songs from around the world that have helped us to remember who we are, and are becoming, here at Street Poets, "The Burning River" is a fresh fable fed by ancient roots. We hope, as you listen, you'll find some thread of your own story, and of our greater human story, within it. A big THANK YOU to mythologi...

In this inspiring episode, veteran Street Poet David Sanchez remembers his epic journey from the streets of South Central L.A. to the confines of Central Juvenile Hall to the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains and California backcountry to the organic gardens that have become both his passion and his vocation. As the founder of SEED & SOL ORGANIC GARDENING, David stands today as a living testament to the transformational power of poetry and the natural world. We hope his story ...

In this insightful, music-infused origin story, rapper and current Street Poets board member Chirag Menon a.k.a. CHEE MALABAR breaks down his journey from India to inner-city America at the age of 12, and the role that hip-hop played in his healing, political awakening and evolution as a man. Today, Chee serves as a principal in the well-respected consulting firm, THIRD SETTLEMENTS, while continuing to make music that inspires change and challenges the status quo.This STREET POETS PODCA...

Street Poets has been blessed to have many powerful female leaders, healers, writers and teaching artists steward our creative community forward over the past 25 years. Inspired by the saying "each one, teach one," SISTERS IN RHYME amplifies the original poetry, music and wisdom of three of Street Poets' most gifted co-creators, past and present: spoken-word artist/poet and former Program Director MAYDA DEL VALLE, poet/rapper/DJ/producer/dancer/filmmaker and current program coordinator ...