30 Years of Poet Athletes
As young people in DC, DC SCORES poet-athletes use poetry to make history, to speak truth, and to become visionaries. Over thirty years, they’ve written thousands of poems to create the dream of a Poet-Athlete City. From self-affirmations to celebrating their community, poet-athletes use language to widen the mirrors they hold up to create the reflections most books lack. In their hopes, dreams, and imagined futures, poet-athletes see no limits for themselves. Through book donations and book sales, the voices of DC SCORES poet-athletes reach readers and leaders across the country. Proceeds from DC SCORES titles support new authors and fund future programming for DC youth.
Passing The Mic
“This is a treasure trove of knowledge that I hope everybody will pick up.”
—Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit & US Women's National Team
TAKE A WALK BETWEEN THE WARDS WITH DC SCORES
Passing the Mic: Building a Poet-Athlete City represents thirty years of poetry from the poet-athletes of DC SCORES. For the last three decades, through soccer, poetry, and service, these young people have made their marks on history, claimed their power, and brought to bear their visions for improving this city’s future. This book honors their pain, celebrates their joy, and crystallizes the many ways in which they grew, both on the field and on the page.
Afterword by poet, activist, and avid soccer player Clint Smith.
DC SCORES Curators
Author Voice
“ I’m just really honored to have my piece and share my view on life in this book, and I’m very proud of the other people who have their pieces in this book, too.”
Story Behind The Story
The 2024-2025 school year represents a milestone for DC SCORES. Founded in 1994 by a D.C. public school teacher, the award-winning nonprofit celebrated 30 years of its after-school soccer, poetry, and service-learning program.
DC SCORES poet-athletes represent 7 of the 8 wards in our nation’s capital and, for three decades, have used their voices to lean into their truth, advocate for their communities, and tell their stories through poetry.
As the 30th anniversary approached, a group of DC SCORES staff and poet-athletes decided to document this powerful history, and Passing the Mic was born.
Last fall, a small group of seasoned poet-athletes in DC SCORES’ enhanced poetry program, Youth WORD Project, came together to decide the who, what, and why of the anthology. But they soon discovered that the real question they wanted to answer was, why not?
Why not speak directly to fellow young people? Why not let others know they are not alone, they are heard, and they are in community? Why not say out loud how loved and understood they are?
These young poet-athletes quickly realized that, with their collective voice, there wasn’t much they couldn’t do. Passing the Mic is a celebration of that power.
Learn About Other Author Partners
