With the upcoming launch of the Simon and Schuster release "Get Lit Rising" (a new book by Diane Luby Lane and the Get Lit Literati), the troupe hit New York to perform with "Hamilton's" Tony award winner Daveed Diggs, attend the final two nights of "Hamilton" with the original cast, meet all the players, tour the set and ignite a poetic fire throughout the city.
A Southwest Airlines camera crew followed the troupe eastward throughout, as Daveed and cast provided interviews on the importance of arts education and how and why "Get Lit" changes lives. Lin Manuel Miranda and his team provided full access and the experience of a lifetime for all and their positivity, support and grace cannot be understated. Gratitude abounds.
In addition to sharing their truth to power at the Simon and Schuster offices and Drama Book Shop with Daveed, the Literati performed at a special event with the Academy of American poets.
"Get Lit Rising" drops this fall and the new "Notes from the Field" (teacher-written curriculum) accompanies the launch with a foreword written by iLEAD's Brad Koepenick and an absolutely wonderful chapter by iLEAD NoHo's Kelly Grace Thomas. Ms. Thomas (three-time Get Lit Classic Slam winning coach) will now helm the national launch, working with teachers and schools throughout California and beyond. iLEAD NoHo's Mila Cuda has a "bonus chapter" in the new book.
Mila and the Los Angeles Brave New Voices team then hit Washington, D.C.,
and lit it up for three days at the largest international youth poetry slam in the world. The week culminated with two L.A. team members performing onstage at the Kennedy Center.
Once again, Daveed Diggs stepped up to host the event.
We look forward to our collaboration with Get Lit and look forward to another exciting year of implementing the curriculum throughout iLEAD Schools.
