I had the opportunity to attend the first showing of Evita Colon's presentation of "Speak to My Soul," last February. Throughout the entire presentation, I was floored by the emotion I felt to a subject I was essentially disconnected from. It was the raw emotion of the performances and the words that were strung together that left me speechless. With the conclusion of the play that night, I knew that such a powerful message would be lost if it only stayed within the walls of the auditorium I sat in.

I invited Evita to bring "Speak to My Soul" to Project Forward Leap this past summer, a nonprofit summer program in which I was the director. This program allows academically sound, middle school aged students from the Lancaster, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Chester areas to experience college life. Several workshops are implemented throughout the program that allow the students to grow physically, emotionally and mentally. One of these workshops was a Breakout Session in Creative Writing/Spoken Word. I knew instantly that Evita's talent would allow these students an experience they deserved.

Within hearing one of her poem's off on Youtube, the students were instantly enthralled and convinced she was a celebrity--boys and girls alike. Her live performance left students yearning for more, wanting to hear another play on "Call of Duty" or not being a "Barbie." But what students left with was much more than a jaw dropping "ohhhhh" to a witty line. They left with a way to help themselves. Evita shared her personal story of how writing became the outlet that allowed her to express herself in a way that did not hold her back--a constant feat that our students struggle with. It was during this time that she encouraged students to explore the world of expressing themselves through writing, whether it be a poem, a rap, a story, or just words on a paper. Several of our students throughout the different programs volunteered to share their writing with her. It was during this time that students were able to connect with her and to see/experience the benefit of her message.

Her mark was evident in the students who commented on her being their favorite guest speaker or how they all obsessively asked to find her online to keep up with her successes. But it really hit me when a student shared with me (two months after finishing her program) during a friendly visit that she was in need of more notebooks after filling all of the ones she had at home. She shared that Evita's story and encouragement showed her a way to express herself in a way that allowed her freedom in a world that is constantly bringing her down."