Battle Creek Enquirer

She joined a poetry group in Kalamazoo hosted by Fire, an organization for "cutting edge artistic expression and individual leadership development." She read her deeply personal poems, not only in front of her classmates, but at the Michigan Louder Than a Bomb poetry festival in Detroit.

"Breaking her out of that shell and having her be able to share it with not only classmates but with an entire audience in a poetry contest in Detroit was quite remarkable," Martin said. "She’s become a confident person in her poetry, and it has obviously transcended into her everyday life."
​
Click the picture to read the full article.

KZCF Live

Allison Kennedy, executive director of Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative, shares how her organization is working to address education inequities in Kalamazoo County.

Second Wave Media

Sometimes it can be a challenge to get teens where you want them to be when you want them to be there. Timeliness is not a problem for Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative. It’s typical for teens show up there hours early, waiting for staff to open the doors.

Earlier this year, the starting time for longstanding First Friday open mics at Fire were moved from 7:30 to 6:30 p.m. to accommodate teens who were getting there two hours before the show.
​
​Click the photo to read more.

Public Media Network

"A poet's heart is sensitive."

​Kim Carson talks with the executive director about the mission of Fire, programs for youth, why youth-driven spaces are important, and the ways youth voice is impacting community.

Encore Backstory

I really enjoy what I call the 'lingering after workshop moments.' A young person will tell their parents to pick them up late and then they’ll just kind of hang around and just start talking to me. I love those moments because sometimes they are saying something about themselves for the first time and they are starting to realize how much the world loves them and how much they love themselves."

​Click the photo to read more.