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Blog

Well-Versed: Youth Poetry from Spring 2026

Celebrating Juneteenth 2026 in WA State

Well-Versed: Youth Poetry from Winter 2026

2025 Pongo Poetry Prize

Well-Versed: Youth Poetry from Fall 2025

Well-Versed: Youth Poetry from Summer 2025

International Literacy Day 2025: How Conflict Impacts Education and How Storytelling Heals

Well-Versed: Youth Poetry from Spring 2025

Supporting the Arts Amid NEA Cuts

Well-Versed: Youth Poetry from Winter 2025

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On Thursday December 10th, join us for Envisioning

On Thursday December 10th, join us for Envisioning Voices! Partners in Print, The Vera Project, Writers in the Schools (WITS), and Pongo Poetry Project are coming together to celebrate youth creativity and the healing power of self-expression.
The event will feature a beautiful exhibit of broadsides developed by local artists from Partners in Print and The Vera Project, all of which were inspired by the poetry of the young people that WITS and Pongo serve across the Seattle area. Additionally, the evening will include readings of each of these poems, the broadside artists themselves, and opportunities to learn more about the work of each of these organizations.
RSVP via the link in our bio to join us in celebrating the power of youth creativity and self-expression!
#youth #poetry #healing #mentalhealth #socialjustice

October 12 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and to honor

October 12 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and to honor the occasion we’d like to highlight the work of one of our favorite local Indigenous writers, Kalehua Kim (@kalehuakim).
Kalehua is the author of "Mele," winner of the inaugural Pasifika Poetry Prize awarded by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association. She was named one of Poets & Writers featured debut poets for 2025 and was a 2023 winner of the James Welch Prize for Indigenous Poets. Her work has appeared in Poetry Northwest, Denver Quarterly, Calyx, and ‘Ōiwi, A Native Hawaiian Journal.
Special thanks to Kalehua for sharing this recital of ‘After Her Funeral, I Dream That My Mother Tells Me Her Dreams,’ featured in her debut poetry collection “Mele.”
#indigenouspoets #indigenouspeoplesday

🚨 LAST CALL 🚨 What Words Can Hold is one day awa

🚨 LAST CALL 🚨
What Words Can Hold is one day away!
Are you curious about the healing power of youth self-expression? About how Pongo goes about engaging youth in the writing process; youth who ultimately write beautiful, heartbreaking poems about their most sensitive feelings and life experiences? For answers to these questions and more, join us tomorrow night–Thursday October 8th–at ‘What Words Can Hold'!
With the help of experienced Pongo mentors, you'll be invited to participate in Pongo poetry writing activities, the very type we use in our youth poetry programming across detention centers and residential youth mental health facilities across the Seattle area. Whether you’re familiar with Pongo or new to our work, this is the perfect opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the power of poetry writing, and how Pongo sparks youth healing through creative expression.
RSVP via the link in our bio!
#youth #healing #poetry #mentalhealth

Check out our latest youth poetry column in Real C

Check out our latest youth poetry column in Real Change News!
Real Change exists to provide opportunity and a voice to low-income and homeless people while taking action for economic, social and racial justice. Our latest column features youth poetry from Pongo programming at the Echo Glen Children’s Center, a juvenile institution for youth serving criminal sentences.
Take a moment to engage with and reflect on the words and insights of our youth writers. And join us in honoring our youth writer’s vulnerability and creativity by sharing this poetry with a friend, family member, or colleague!
Link in bio to read the column
#youth #poetry #healing #mentalhealth

Pongo’s September newsletter is hot off the press!

Pongo’s September newsletter is hot off the press! This is your one stop shop to catch up on all things Pongo, including:
💼 leadership transition announcement
🎉 Pongo’s next event
✍️ new youth poetry
and much more!
➡️ Newsletter available at the link in our bio ⬅️
#youth #healing #poetry #mentalhealth #seattle

📰 Get your daily dose of inspiration with Pongo’s

📰 Get your daily dose of inspiration with Pongo’s youth poetry column in the @southseattleemerald, featuring the wise words and creative insights of Pongo youth writers from the Child Study Treatment Center (CSTC), the only state-run psychiatric hospital for youth in Washington State. Take a moment to read and reflect on these poems, and join us in celebrating the talent and creativity of these youth poets by sharing these poems with a family member, friend, or colleague.
Interested in reading more Pongo youth poetry? Visit our online book store to pick up one of our youth poetry anthologies!
All links in bio!
#youth #poetry #healing #mentalhealth

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day, wh

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day, which is all about communication, advocacy, and reducing stigma around talking about suicide—and, more importantly, asking for help.
With far less funding being allocated to health and wellness in this country, being mindful of how we talk (or don’t talk) about suicide, and how it creates a ripple effect of suffering from person to person, community to community, is more important than ever. And for those that are struggling its imperative to remember, you are not alone.
You can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for yourself OR if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. No matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.
#starttheconversation #suicideprevention

🎤 “Once you learn to read, you will forever be fre

🎤 “Once you learn to read, you will forever be free.” Frederick Douglass 🎤
Happy International Literacy Day! This day is a reminder that literacy is foundational to a more peaceful, healthy, and just society. Reading and writing seep into every aspect of how we form opinions and see ourselves and others—it’s the heartbeat of human development and community.
Low literacy rates are directly tied to educational challenges and higher poverty rates. And financial instability increases the likelihood of resorting to crime as a means for survival, bringing people into contact with the criminal legal system. Once ensnared in that system, those with limited literacy skills can struggle even more when tasked with understanding court papers, medical and rehabilitation instructions, and more. On top of that, recidivism rates are far higher for those with low literacy skills—a vicious cycle.
This sticky feedback loop is why we feel so strongly about our mission & youth programming. On this International Literacy Day, we encourage you to get involved with organizations and initiatives promoting literacy and advocating for it as a human right.
#internationalliteracyday #worldliteracyday2026

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