Deep Center to Celebrate 10th Birthday

Deep Center’s young authors will host Deep Center’s 10th Birthday Party, a community event and fundraiser to celebrate the nonprofit organization’s tenth anniversary, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 14, at the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, 460 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

“In just a decade, Deep Center has grown from a beloved local creative writing program to a national leader in youth literacy, leadership, and community development,” explains Dare Dukes, executive director of Deep Center. “We’re excited to invite our community to join us as we take stock of our accomplishments, while moving ahead to deepen and expand the ways we’re supporting young people and strengthening Savannah.”

Founded in 2008 by Catherine Killingsworth and Hartford Gongaware, Deep Center began as a creative writing workshop series in Chatham County’s public schools that focused on addressing poverty’s impact on local literacy rates. Since then, Deep has served more than 3,500 youth, trained hundreds of adults, and published nearly 100 books of youth and adult writing. 2014 saw the launch of Deep’s high school program, Block by Block, where young people, their adult allies, and local stakeholders, use art and writing to explore stories of Savannah’s past and present and the social issues impacting young people’s livs

. In 2017, Deep launched its Youth Leadership Team, which engages advanced young authors in research and writing about Savannah’s most pressing challenges and building a community-wide spoken word culture.

In partnership with the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, Deep program participants and alumni will perform spoken word selections of their most powerful pieces. An interactive timeline will engage participants in telling the story of Deep. DJ José Ray will spin soul and funk for the dance party to follow. Children’s activities will be available.

Tickets to Deep Center’s 10th Birthday Party are limited and can be purchased online at http:// deepcenter.org/tickets and, depending on availability, on the day of the event at the Civil Rights Museum. Doors will open at 4 p.m., and guests will be treated to BBQ and homemade sides donated by Deep volunteers, families, and community supporters. Guests will also be invited to help Deep blow out the candles on its birthday cake. All proceeds from the event will benefit Deep Center.

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