Four Harlem Students Start a Movement

Juniors Jessica King, Mylah Rider, Nellie King, and Ma'Lea Moore have gained notoriety at Harlem High School as the OGs. They are the 'originals' who found satisfaction in the poetry unit taught during Matthew Hodgson's Sophomore English course and who continued writing and pursuing poetry on their personal time. In January of 2022, the quartet formed a movement, the I'Abi Waštena Poetry Movement.

I'Abi Waštena is a Nakoda phrase which translates in English to mean "pretty with words." As leaders of a new generation of poetry and as mentors guiding younger poets in development of their artisti...