In today’s society, it is becoming increasingly important to provide a space for young people where they can express themselves, connect with others, and perhaps most importantly, be heard. This is exactly what the InsideOut Literary Arts Project strives to achieve through poetry workshops in Detroit, and their fearless leader, Suma Rosen, is the power behind it.

InsideOut Literary Arts Project was founded in Detroit in 1995, as an outpouring of frustration by teachers and writers alike, who were concerned with the constrained curricula of the Detroit Public Schools. InsideOut’s aim was to empower youth through writing and publishing their own literary works. Today, under the guidance of Suma Rosen, the organization has grown significantly in both scope and scale, and has become a vital part of the city’s cultural landscape.

Suma Rosen joined InsideOut in 1998 as a teaching artist and workshop leader, and eventually became the Executive Director in 2012. Since then, she has been inspiring young people across Detroit to use the written and spoken word as a means to express themselves, to empower themselves, and to effect change in their communities.

Rosen’s leadership has been instrumental in bringing the InsideOut Literary Arts Project to the forefront of youth empowerment in Detroit. The organization has served over 60,000 young people in the city, and many of them have gone on to become published authors, poets, and literary activists.

The workshops at InsideOut provide a safe and supportive space for young people to explore their thoughts, emotions, and ideas through writing poetry. This not only helps them hone their writing skills but also equips them with the tools to express themselves effectively, while building their confidence and self-esteem.

The organization has also managed to connect students with professional writers to build writing skills and to provide inspiration for their work. They have also assisted students in getting their poetry published in local and national anthologies, providing them with a valuable credential and an opportunity to showcase their work.

Suma Rosen and the Insideout Literary Arts Project have achieved so much for Detroit’s youth, enriching their lives and creating meaningful opportunities for them to express themselves. The work they do is not only important for the individual young writers but for the city as a whole.