Welcome to immastar.com!
New and exciting things are happening for Immastar Productions. The founder, Carlos Contreras, has recently accepted a position as an Educational Assistant, Artistic Director, and Resident Poet at a charter school in Albuquerque. This isn’t just any old charter school though. This charter school happens to be cutting edge and one of a kind, folks. Bernallilo County, and The New Mexico Public Education Department, recently teamed up and opened Gordon Bernell Charter School. Gordon Bernell Charter School is one of 2 schools of its kind in the nation. Gordon Bernell Charter School is located inside the Metropolitan Detention Center. That’s Right! We are teaching high school classes to adult inmates inside a jail. It gets better! Not only are there over one hundred inmates currently enrolled, but there are nearly 20 inmates who are currently participating in a spoken word poetry club that happens after school hours. That’s right, we are teaching inmates Math, Science, English and History. When it’s all said and done for the day, students are taking their journals back out, and learning a little bit of Slam Poetry from yours truly!!
Writers' Block
In the “WRITERS’ BLOCK” section of the site you will find work done in English classes and in poetry club. You will find short stories, prose, poetry, and journal entries by men serving time in Albuquerque’s MDC. These men are taking a huge step toward righting the path or should I say ‘writing’ the path, that went wrong for some, many years ago. For other younger inmates, these writings are a look into recent decisions, associations, and failures that they are slowly reflecting upon and learning from. These men are all making positive steps toward change.
Stick with us and keep your eyes peeled for daily and weekly updates of students’ writings. If you have comments or questions please feel free to email me at soothxsayer@yahoo.com! Please let us know what you think about our attempts to change the world and lives from the inside out!!
Peace Love and Poetry
Carlos Contreras
Kudos
On October 15, 2007, Carlos Contreras entertained the teachers and students at Las Cruces High School with SLAM poetry. The day was a great success. Each of seven periods, Carlos performed different SLAM poems. He brought us to tears with his poem about the children left in the hot car and made us smile with his love poem. He also took questions from the audience and talked about SLAM in general. The students were mesmerized. This was the second year I have heard Carlos SLAM at Las Cruces High School, and it was just as fabulous this year as last. He sparked an interest in spoken poetry, so we have started a SLAM club. We hope he will be back next year.
--Kernie Zimmerman, teacher, Las Cruces High School
Carlos is a remarkable role model for young writers who hear the power of language in his work. His workshops are evidence to young people that the art of poetry continues to flourish as a barometer of social energy.
--Phyllis Wright, AP English 11 teacher, Las Cruces High School