Welcome to Mi-Fullness (my-Fullness) Poetry
Mi-Fullness Poetry | Using Poetry for Mental Wellness
Mifullness (my-fullness) Poetry promotes mental wellness through poetry. They offer workshops for youth in Flint, Michigan, focusing on integrating poetry and mindfulness.
Mission | Pillars
Empowering Literacy
Empowering Mental Wellness
Revealing Creativity
Poetry plays a crucial role in fostering language and literacy development among young people. In Flint, Michigan, a quiet yet pressing intergenerational literacy crisis persists. Thankfully, numerous leaders and organizations are actively combating this issue. As part of this collective effort, poetry emerges as a potent tool, offering multifaceted linguistic advantages. Through its rhythmic patterns and evocative imagery, poetry cultivates vocabulary expansion and enhances verbal communication skills.
Revealing Creativity
Empowering Mental Wellness
Revealing Creativity
Poetry cultivates creativity and imagination in youth. By exploring diverse poetic forms and traditions, young people can reimagine their surroundings, discovering new avenues of expression. Engaging with poetry from various cultural backgrounds allows them to broaden their perspectives and incorporate elements of self-expression into their identity. Through poetry, youth can embark on a journey of creative discovery, shaping their understanding of the world and themselves.
Empowering Mental Wellness
Empowering Mental Wellness
Empowering Mental Wellness
Poetry contributes to holistic mind-body wellness. Through expressive writing and emotional expression, it provides a means for young people to articulate their thoughts and emotions, thereby reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Engaging with poetry fosters clarity of mind and improves concentration, nurturing mental and emotional well-being.
‘Poetry is a bridge that connects children to the relevance of writing, reading, learning, honesty and community. Passage on this bridge is open to all children and successful crossings are guaranteed… because poetry writing relies on the senses, emotions and history of each child.
Shelley Tucker, 2004 | Optimus Education
Started with Double Entendre (My-fullness & Mindfulness)
Creating Social Impact with OptiMize | "Why Not Me"
In 2021, I started the Mifullness Poetry project through the optiMize Social Innovation program at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. This servant leadership program encourages students to work toward a more just and sustainable world. As a participant in the 5-month social innovation challenge, I developed a project focusing on mental health and art therapy, created a budget and pitch presentation, and conducted research to address identified needs. My project was awarded a $7,000 Project Grant & Fellowship.
Workshops in Community Centers
I started hosting and creating poetry workshops in Flint and online. Partnering with the Latinx Leadership Program at Latinx Technology & Community Center , these workshops emphasize mindfulness and poetry, empowering teens to share their voices.
Mentored by Urban Institute, Racial, Economic, & Environmental Justice at University of Michigan-Flint
To further my social impact project, I became a Research Intern for the Urban Institute, focusing on Racial, Economic, & Environmental Justice at the University of Michigan-Flint. I secured a $5,000 grant for the research and development of Mi-Fullness Poetry elements and strategically planned and developed the curriculum. Under the mentorship of Dr. Nate McClain, I conducted independent research on Flint literacy and educational guidelines, analyzing information from diverse sources for background papers and project proposals.
I delivered an oral presentation at the Urban Institute DEI Symposium titled "How Mindfulness and Poetry Can Impact Literacy Development and Cultivate a Sense of Community for Teens in Genesee County."
Mi-fullness Journey | Cultivating a Mindful community through the power of poetry
