More from Radio Rookies
Best Couple
(00:04:48)
From: Radio Rookies
When seniors at a small public high school in the Bronx cast their votes for "Best Couple" they chose a pair they admire but who definitely defy the stereotype of best couple.
Someone to Tuck Me In
(00:09:54)
From: Radio Rookies
Last year at a routine check-up, 15-year-old Raymond Henderson decided to tell the truth. When his doctor noticed bruises on his neck, Raymond admitted that his stepfather ...
Stuck
(00:08:55)
From: Radio Rookies
Kaddeem Wright enjoys reading philosophy and arguing with his friends about history and politics. With his smarts and innate curiosity about the world, Kaddeem seems like a ...
My Mother vs. The Streets
(00:08:20)
From: Radio Rookies
In the past, hanging out with boys has gotten Jacuyra into trouble. But as a 16-year-old who doesn't often think about the consequences of her actions, Jacuyra would love ...
I'm Not Emo
(00:09:08)
From: Radio Rookies
Like most of the kids in her school and on her block, 16-year-old Josetta Adams used to listen to hip-hop. But when she slipped into a depression, Josetta started listening ...
Read a Book
(00:09:24)
From: Radio Rookies
Keith Harris had a secret when he started school in the U.S. for the first time: he didn't know how to read and write.
Home Alone
(00:07:27)
From: Radio Rookies
Krystle loves her mom very much and she feels guilty about how hard her mom has worked to provide a good life for them, but Krystle sometimes wonders if all the work hours ...
The Chernobyl Disaster
(00:08:17)
From: Radio Rookies
Rookie Reporter Irina was born in Belarus 6 years after the Chernobyl disaster. She has always seen herself as a Chernobyl victim, but the more she learns about the effects ...
My Mother's Disease
(00:09:37)
From: Radio Rookies
17-years-old Vikky Cruz struggles to cope with her mother's illness, a rare genetic disease called neuroacanthytosis, and the ways it's taken over the mother she once knew.
Money Stress
(00:09:17)
From: Radio Rookies
Rookie Reporter Erikka Diaz, like many of her neighbors in South Bronx, has lived in poverty her whole life. Her family knows well the anxiety that comes with constantly ...
Related Pieces
Piece Description
Since she moved to the Bronx from Suriname at age 12, Judith hasn't felt she fits in with any group. Dutch is her first language. She wants to be an opera singer. She's black. In Junior High, her peers wondered why she couldn't sing like 'Monica.' In High School, she remembers a girl from an African-American club telling her, "Dutch is not a Black language." She did not take up arms, as some outsiders have -- instead she took up poetry.
3 Comments
|
Review of PoetryJudith grabs the listener immediately with her poetry. it's a great way to open the story. This story weaves between first person reflection and interviews, letting us know what it is like to be an outsider - in more ways than one. Judith is a talented writer and speaker. A few parts of the story could be voiced a bit slower to compensate for the ways people hear the radio when they are in the car or the kitchen. This is a compelling piece, especially since it lets us know the power of the written word for Judith and tells us about her struggles growing up. I like hearing her thoughts in poetry and not just in reflection. This piece would make a great drop-in to a local or national magazine. It would also pair nicely with other youth pieces for a half-hour or hour segment. |
|
Review of PoetryYou discussed a topic which is considered very taboo in the black community i.e what is black and who gets to define how one should behave. I could hear you not holding back in the presentation of your piece you didn't tip toe around the subject you just displayed the way you felt and tackled it dead on. You discussed the emotions you felt by being ostracized for being different yes you cried like we all do but you were able to pull yourself up from that feeling and you didn't over dramatize the situation. I can only select 3 categories for the tones of this piece but if I could pick one more I would say your piece is inspirational for anyone who goes through being an outcast in any way or form. Your production on this piece was good I couldn't hear any pops or clicks and the overall piece moved smoothly and made sense. Sometimes when listening to a piece my mind tends to wander for a few seconds but I can honestly say that while listening to your piece I didn't have that moment. There is only one person that can define what is right for anyone and that is the individual and that was the underlying message I got from your piece. And besides outcasts do it better because we aren?t a part of the herd!!! |
Broadcast History
This piece aired on WNYC in 2001.
Timing and Cues
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please use the suggested host intro and outro. If you would like to re-write the intro, please email radiorookies@wnyc.org.
HOST INTRO: Since she moved to the Bronx from Suriname at age 12, Judith hasn't felt she fits in with any group. Dutch is her first language. She wants to be an opera singer. She's black. In Junior High, her peers wondered why she couldn't sing like 'Monica.' In High School, she remembers a girl from an African-American club telling her, "Dutch is not a Black language." She did not take up arms, as some outsiders have -- instead she took up poetry.
HOST OUTRO:
This story was produced by Marianne McCune and Czerina Patel of WNYC's Radio Rookies. To learn more, go to WNYC.ORG.
Related Website
Of 4 purchasers of this piece...
- 3 also bought:
- 3 also bought:
Jeff in Boston: Halfrican (00:13:12) - 3 also bought:
A Disturbance in the Force (00:16:00) - 3 also bought:
Father's Day (00:05:25) - 3 also bought:
Lisa Ho
Posted on April 08, 2007 at 05:01 PM | Permalink
Review of Poetry
"Poetry" is a concise and touching retelling of a young Bronx immigrant's struggle to carve out a satisfying identity amidst a tableau of highschool cruelty and urban alienation. Quickly paced and energetic, the piece excellently portrays the chaos of young adulthood for a girl who was always more interested in singing opera than popular R&B. It also avoids falling into the genre's common pitfalls of egotism and self-pity and this helps the listener take the narrative more seriously. Our reporter has a very mature tone but almost never gets self-serious (even exuberantly singing along with Inspectah Deck). The piece, as a whole, could be unified a bit more by either dropping or developing certain tired concepts like "pens instead of guns." However, the efficient, intimate tone, and the compelling narrative are what stand out to the listener.