✨ Launching Project Grio: Poetry and the Promise of Hope

From the earliest griots of West Africa to the Harlem Renaissance poets and modern spoken-word visionaries, storytelling has always been the bridge between our past and our future. Today, we are proud to launch Project Grio, a new initiative from The Servicemen and thee Booker-Meacham School for Gifted Youngsters in Mityana, Uganda.

The Vision

Project Grio will bring together poetry, speeches, and storytelling from some of the greatest African and African-American voices—works that speak of resilience, hope, identity, and liberation. These timeless words will be read, recited, and embodied by the students of the Booker-Meacham School, creating a living dialogue between past generations and the future leaders of our diaspora.

The goal is simple yet powerful:

• Connect the African diaspora through dialogue and hope
• Build confidence and pride in our students
• Teach the world about the greatness of African and African-American storytellers

The First Step: Hey Black Child

Our journey begins with Useni Perkins’ iconic poem, Hey Black Child. This piece, written during the Black Arts Movement, reminds us of the power of potential, self-belief, and vision. When spoken through the voices of our students, the poem becomes more than literature—it becomes a declaration of identity and promise.

Why Poetry, Why Now?

Poetry has never just been words on a page. It has always been a weapon of liberation, a tool of teaching, and a vessel of cultural memory. In classrooms, around firesides, in churches, and in the streets, poetry has carried the stories of our people forward.

Through Project Grio, we are teaching our students—and the world—that these words are not relics of the past but blueprints for the future.

The Bigger Picture

This initiative is more than recitation. It is about curation and celebration—a living archive where young voices amplify the legacies of African and African-American leaders. By weaving together history, art, and education, Project Grio reminds us all that hope is not abstract—it is spoken, shared, and lived.

💡 Follow along as our students bring poetry to life.
Together, we will show that the promise of hope is carried not just in books, but in the voices of the next generation.

#ProjectGrio #PoetryAndHope #DiasporaDialogue #TheServicemen #BookerMeachamSchool #AfricaIsEnough

Video Here