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Photo Credit- David Flores

Renée Watson

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Nonprofits & Activism, Film & Animation

young adult, art, patina, Bloomsbury, coretta scott king award, body consciousness, this side of home, queen latifa, renee watson, langston, newbery honor, girlhood, poem, being a girl, feminist, jason reynolds, poetry, raising your voice, writing, piecing me together, Renée Watson, walter dean myers, itooarts, langston's house, DFlo, feminism, watch us rise, Bloomsbury Books, ya, Jacqueline Woodson, ellen hagan, itoo, body positivity, Bloomsbury Publishing, harlem

Renée Watson

Girlhood, from the YA novel Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan

Read more Award-winning author Renee Watson and poet Ellen Hagan read "Girlhood," a poem from their new YA novel about raising your voice. Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission--they're sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women's Rights Club. They post their work online--poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine's response to the racial microaggressions she experiences--and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by trolls. When things escalate in real life, the principal shuts the club down. Not willing to be silenced, Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices--and those of other young women--to be heard. These two dynamic, creative young women stand up and speak out in a novel that features their compelling art and poetry along with powerful personal journeys that will inspire readers and budding poets, feminists, and activists. For more info about Watch Us Rise, visit https://bloomsbury.com/us/watch-us-rise-9781547600083/

Film & Animation

Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury Books, watch us rise, feminism, girlhood, being a girl, renee watson, ellen hagan, newbery honor, coretta scott king award, young adult, raising your voice, poem, poetry, ya, body positivity

This Body, from the YA novel Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan

Read more Award-winning author Renee Watson reads "This Body," a poem from her new YA novel written with Ellen Hagan about raising your voice. Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission--they're sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women's Rights Club. They post their work online--poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine's response to the racial microaggressions she experiences--and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by trolls. When things escalate in real life, the principal shuts the club down. Not willing to be silenced, Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices--and those of other young women--to be heard. These two dynamic, creative young women stand up and speak out in a novel that features their compelling art and poetry along with powerful personal journeys that will inspire readers and budding poets, feminists, and activists. For more info about Watch Us Rise, visit https://bloomsbury.com/us/watch-us-rise-9781547600083/

Film & Animation

Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury Books, feminist, feminism, young adult, ya, poem, poetry, girlhood, body consciousness, raising your voice, renee watson, ellen hagan

Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, authors of Watch Us Rise, in conversation (part 1)

Read more Award-winning author Renee Watson and poet Ellen Hagan, authors of the YA novel Watch Us Rise, discuss their collaboration. Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission--they're sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women's Rights Club. They post their work online--poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine's response to the racial microaggressions she experiences--and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by trolls. When things escalate in real life, the principal shuts the club down. Not willing to be silenced, Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices--and those of other young women--to be heard. These two dynamic, creative young women stand up and speak out in a novel that features their compelling art and poetry along with powerful personal journeys that will inspire readers and budding poets, feminists, and activists. For more info about Watch Us Rise, visit https://bloomsbury.com/us/watch-us-rise-9781547600083/

Film & Animation

Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury Books, feminist, feminism, girlhood, being a girl, poem, poetry, body positivity, young adult, ya

Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, authors of Watch Us Rise, in conversation (part 2)

Read more Award-winning author Renee Watson and poet Ellen Hagan, authors of the YA novel Watch Us Rise, discuss their collaboration. Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission--they're sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women's Rights Club. They post their work online--poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine's response to the racial microaggressions she experiences--and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by trolls. When things escalate in real life, the principal shuts the club down. Not willing to be silenced, Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices--and those of other young women--to be heard. These two dynamic, creative young women stand up and speak out in a novel that features their compelling art and poetry along with powerful personal journeys that will inspire readers and budding poets, feminists, and activists. For more info about Watch Us Rise, visit https://bloomsbury.com/us/watch-us-rise-9781547600083/

Film & Animation

Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury Books, feminism, feminist, girlhood, being a girl, body positivity, young adult, ya

Renée Watson + Jason Reynolds pt 1

Read more Renée Watson and Jason Reynolds discuss the begining of Jason's journey as a reader. Walter Dean Myers and Queen Latifa form a cornerstone and Jason shares a sneak preview of his latest novel Patina. Photographed by David Flores in Harlem.

Nonprofits & Activism

renee watson, jason reynolds, langston, langston's house, itoo, itooarts, harlem, queen latifa, walter dean myers, writing, art, patina, this side of home

Renée Watson + Jason Reynolds pt 2

Read more Renée Watson and Jason Reynolds discuss what Ramona missed in Portland. Poetry feeds prose and visa versa; and Renée reads from her novel Piecing Me Together. Photographed by David Flores at Langston's House in Harlem.

Nonprofits & Activism

renee watson, jason reynolds, langston, langston's house, piecing me together, itoo, itooarts, harlem, writing, art, patina, this side of home

Woodson & Watson: Part One

Read more Writers Jacqueline Woodson and Renée Watson discuss writing the importance of bringing life experience to the page. Photographed in Brooklyn by David Flores. Winter 2015.

Jacqueline Woodson, Renée Watson, DFlo

Woodson & Watson: Part Two

Read more Writers Jacqueline Woodson and Renée Watson discuss the history of Black Portland. Photographed in Brooklyn by David Flores. Winter 2015.

Jacqueline Woodson, Renée Watson, DFlo

Woodson & Watson: Part Three

Read more Writers Jacqueline Woodson and Renée Watson discuss the challenges of gentrification. Photographed in Brooklyn by David Flores. Winter 2015.

Jacqueline Woodson, Renée Watson, DFlo

I Live in Harlem

Read more Renée Watson shares some thoughts and photography about the neighborhood she calls home.

Nonprofits & Activism

Teach This Poem, though developed with a classroom in mind, can be easily adapted for remote learning, hybrid learning models, or in-person classes. 

Renée sits down with Some Places More Than Others cover illustrator Shadra Strickland.

Founded by Renée Watson, I, Too Arts Collective is a non-profit organization committed to nurturing voices from underrepresented communities in the creative arts.

Renée and Watch Us Rise co-author Ellen Hagan open up about writing inspirations and the power of female friendship. 

  • Renée on First Draft: Piecing Me Together

Renée Watson discusses taking herself seriously as a writer from a young age, creative therapy for young people, and finding people who are about something.

First Draft Episode #88: Renee WatsonSarah Enni
00:00 / 01:04
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