events

I Come as One Opening Reception

Friday, October 1, 2021 | 6-8pm | Shaker Historical Society (masks required)

Parenting is so rewarding and in many cases the hardest task a person can take on. Parenting alone during a pandemic is especially challenging. This exhibit displays the unconquerable strength of a single black mother. Told in photographs, stories, and art, I Come as One: Stories of Unconquerable Single Black Parents focuses on how many rely on friends and family to create a village of support, from a pandemic to the hustle bustle of daily life.

I Come as One opens Friday, October 1 at 6pm at the Shaker Historical Society and is on view through December 12, 2021. This exhibition was organized by Kim Harris of Shaker African American Mothers Support (S.A.M.S.) with support from Ali Black, poet and Community Engagement Specialist at the Shaker Heights Public Library, and Friends of the Shaker Library.

I Come as One: Poetry Reading & Writing Workshop

November 12, 2021 | 6-7:15pm | Zoom

Join us for an evening of poetry related to the exhibition I Come as One: Stories of Unconquerable Single Black Parents (now on view at the Shaker Historical Society through December 12, 2021). The evening will feature poetry readings by select mothers from the exhibition. Following the reading, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the basic nature and techniques of poetry and write an original poem.

The workshop will be led by writer Ali Black. Black is the author of the poetry collection If It Heals At All. The book was named a finalist for the 2021 Ohioana Book Award. Black's work has been published in The Offing, DIAGRAM, Literary Hub, jubilat, and elsewhere. She also works at the Shaker Heights Public Library as the community engagement specialist.

Missed the workshop? Use the instructions below from Ali Black (or download them here) to write your own object poem!

Let’s Write!

Think of an interesting or sentimental object that connects to your childhood or your experience as a parent. Maybe it’s a piece of jewelry, a diary, a recipe book, or a photograph.

Step 1: Freewriting

Choose your object and spend about 5-7 minutes describing it. What color is the object? What does it feel like (is it rough, soft, slippery)? Does it have a scent? Is it big? Small? Be as descriptive as possible!

Next, tell us more about the object. Is it a gift from your father? Is it an item you plan to give to your daughter in the future? When did you receive it? Describe why the object is sentimental and important. What kind of memories does the object provoke? Does it elicit certain emotions?

Clear your mind before you begin the freewrite. Do not worry about spelling or punctuation. Remember to be specific and as descriptive as possible.

Step 2: Writing an object poem

Now it’s time to write an object poem. You should have enough content to create a first draft. The poem does not need to have a particular format or rhyme scheme. You can have multiple stanzas, short lines or long lines. Introduce your object at the start of the poem. Fill your first stanza with detailed descriptions of the object. In the body of your poem (or second stanza), include the history of your object and why the object is important to you. Close the poem with a simile or metaphor.

A simile is a poetic device. The subject of the poem is described by comparing it to another object or subject using ‘like’ or ‘as’. For example, “My mother’s ring is as gold as the sun.”

A metaphor is also a poetic device. A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things. As a literary device, metaphor creates implicit comparisons without using ‘like’ or ‘as’. For example, “Her heart of stone surprised me.”

I Come as One: Resource Panel Discussion

Thursday, December 9, 2021 | 6pm | Zoom - REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Moderated by Kim Harris