In today’s society, it is becoming increasingly important to provide a space for young people where they can express themselves, connect with others, and perhaps most importantly, be heard. This is exactly what the InsideOut Literary Arts Project strives to achieve through poetry workshops in Detroit, and their fearless leader, Suma Rosen, is the power behind it.
InsideOut Literary Arts Project was founded in Detroit in 1995, as an outpouring of frustration by teachers and writers alike, who were concerned with the constrained curricula of the Detroit Public Schools. InsideOut’s aim was to empower youth through writing and publishing their own literary works. Today, under the guidance of Suma Rosen, the organization has grown significantly in both scope and scale, and has become a vital part of the city’s cultural landscape.