Weary as worn shoes,
laziness envelops her;
dream away in peace.
-Arena, 17
Midsummer night’s dream,
sipping the ambient air
corrodes the morning.
-Jaleesa, 20
A bird’s song
shouts in the wind
in full bloom.
Tori no uta
sakebu no kazeni
hanazakari.
-Jaleesa, 20
The tiger gazes
straight into the mind’s darkness,
it is piercing on.
-Kevis, 18
Midnight October,
winds chill the stillness of air,
a soft soul stays warm.
-Kevis, 18
A leaf falls slowly,
as lifeless moves in my chest
yet the romance grows.
-Anna, 18
Colorful flowers,
a smile of thankfulness
and yet tears still fall.
-Meme, 16
Staring into light,
why is it there one may ask,
there is no answer.
-Meme, 16
My Joy
So full of joyness,
youth cannot begin to say,
face full of smiles.
-“Omar”, 18
A heart made so big
shows only love and respect
breaks for their loved ones.
-Chanda, 21
Being decides flees;
faces in wind dying leaves
ease until it’s ripe.
-Marcus, 19
Fresh breeze kisses night;
trees die unsightly in eyes,
one tear to suffer
-Marcus, 19
In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
