"Willard Library’s 6th Annual Poetry Slam had the added bonus to have professional poets Kirk Latimer and Gabriel Giron come in and display their expertise in performance! Their performances were dramatic, powerful, and provided content that everyone in the audience could relate to, especially the students. Kirk's background in teaching along with his passion for poetry really shined through during the workshop, while Gabe's suggestions to the performers-in-training were sensitive but honest. The time Kirk and Gabe took to spend with our young people will leave a long lasting impact on our children.  On a side note, one kid did not win during the poetry slam competition, but with Kinetic Affect's help, he jokingly tells me that his performance got him a girlfriend out of the deal."

 

 "WOW. It was very moving to hear [their work] and I felt like we were each a part of the whole experience. Gabriel and Kirk had it right on the money! They described vividly a life experience in each of the 9 sites [within the initiative] and they carried one of our grantees messages in[to] a beautiful closing. It was awesome."
 

 “Mr. Latimer, before your class I thought poetry was stupid and had no meaning to it. But you helped open my eyes…to get what I think in my mind and put it into imagery on a piece of paper.”
 

 "Gabriel began partnering with ACS in 2004 by sharing his story at fund raising events, committee meetings, Relay For Life and any other gatherings in which he was asked to participate. His perspective is valued because his poetic talent is not directed to any specific age or ethnicity. He connects to the community in its most pure form, but to be able to do it in an entertainment type venue could transform lives in ways we could never imagine. The American Cancer Society is truly honored to have Gabriel as an advocate, his talents are numerous and his life experiences remarkable."

 

"Kinetic Affect generously donated their time and talent to Heartbeat, an after school writing project for high school students I started in partnership with Kalamazoo college 5 years ago. The students and their parents responded enthusiastically; to say they were astonished is an understatement. Students attending the show said, 'we went wild and crazy'. One student said that 'this is the best part of my year, absolutely the best part.' At a time when educators are struggling to connect students to literacy and legitimate ways to have their voices heard, Kinetic Affect is a true gift to our community."