McClure Middle School eighth-grader T'Oshionna Owens came home last week and saw a letter from Seattle Center had come for her.
When she opened it, it said her poem had been nominated for a MLK Peace Award and that she was invited to attend the award ceremony during the Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Day celebration, Monday. Jan. 19 in the Center House at Seattle Center.
"I was excited," she said sitting the McClure library. "I wrote it last year when I was in seventh grade."
The poem, entitled, "Nation Nation" about standing up for one's self and for what's right. She can't remember what inspired the poem, though she said a lot of people had been asking her that.
Owens, 14, is one of 27 people nominated for the award. Nominees include other students and youth organizations in the Puget Sound region that have in some capacity energized the dream and ideals of King. Another nominee, for example, is Youth Violence Prevention Network of West Seattle, part of the Freedom Church of Seattle, which promotes nonviolence and helps teenagers and young adults fulfill their goals and dreams.
Steve Sneed, Seattle Center Cultural Affairs manager, said nomination forms went to schools and youth organizations throughout King County. Teachers, counselors and other organization officials made the nominations. McClure counselor Leslie Collings nominated Owens. In the nomination form, Collings wrote that Owens "is a leader and a student who is working to establish herself as a leader at her school." Owens mentors sixth graders at McClure and uses her writing talent to bring awareness of civil rights issues in the country.
Nominees will meet at 11 a.m., Monday, Jan. 19 the upper level of the Center House and share stories and eat pizza. Then at 1:30, the award ceremony will begin. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels will give out certificates to all nominees. The top four nominees will each get a plaque and a check for $100. Should Owens be among the top four, she may recite her poem on stage.
Below is Owens' poem.
Nation Nation
By T'Oshionna Owens
Nation Nation let me in, not by the color of your dark brown skin.
Nation Nation let me in, no little black your résumé is too thin
Nation Nation let me in, ignore.
Nation Nation let me in, didn't I just tell you no or do you have a twin?
Nation is the people united under a single government that means people coming together and not singling people out, letting everyone have a part.
So I'm going to say this one more time
Nation Nation let me in, matter of fact I'm coming in.
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