Kevin’s Upcoming Appearances:
September 21, 2014 Schick Reading at Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City – 2pm
Coval Does For Jews What Whitman Did For America
Schtick is the tale of Jewish assimilation and its discontents; a sweeping exposition on Jewish-American culture in all its bawdy, contradictory, and inventive glory. Exploring how Jews shed minority status in America – in his own family and in culture and politics at large – poet Kevin Coval shows us a people’s transformation out of diaspora, landing on both sides of the color line. Coval walks proudly in the Jewish steps of Abbie Hoffman, Philip Roth, Howard Zinn, and Groucho Marx.
“A poet once observed that ‘poetry is the music of facts.’ Kevin Coval’s poetry rings with that music. From the grit and turmoil of everyday life, Coval
http://www.jcckc.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=Schtick&link=Schtick – Link to event page
June 22, 2014 Interview on WMUK 102.1FM Interview
http://wmuk.org/post/poet-and-author-kevin-coval-makes-youth-poetry-louder-bomb#.U6mn05LHd3o.gmail
Poet and Author Kevin Coval Makes Youth Poetry “Louder Than A Bomb”
Kevin Coval
Credit Courtesy of Louder Than A Bomb
Growing up during the era of 80′s hip-hop, Kevin Coval had his eyes opened to a world of poetry he never knew existed by dissecting the lyrics of his favorite artists.
“I started writing because I wanted to rap, but I realized very quickly that was not the best idea,” he says. “Hip hop really opened me to a nontraditional canon of verse that was contemporary and working class and explored the spectrum of human experience as opposed to just talking about birchwood and roses.”
The messages were educational and entertaining, and led Coval to find his calling as a poet and playwright. the Chicago native is also the co-creator of Louder Than A Bomb, an organization that teaches teens how to tell their stories through spoken word.
Coval, who will be appearing at the Kalamazoo Public Library at 3 p.m. on June 20, spoke with WMUK’s Erin Williams about the importance of self-education, modern-day storytelling, and how listening to the beat led him into writing.
Here is an excerpt from their conversation:
On what he wants participants in Louder Than A Bomb to really understand:
“I think that there’s a few things that I would love for young people to really get. One, that their story is essential and they have something to say, and all of us have something to say. I also think that because we are organizing school to school in bringing young people together who are traditionally not in the same cultural spaces – or really might not have the opportunity to meet each other unless it was for a festival like Louder Than A Bomb – we’re doing a few things. One, we’re saying that the other side of the tracks, one way or the other is not scary and it’s not what you thought. And we think that the work we’re doing in education is also about community organizing and it’s powerful for cities across the country.”
On teaching youth about the power of self-education: “I think one of the things we’re really trying to do at a very basic level is to get young people – reignite that fire and passion to learn something. I think everybody will be turned on by something, and I think part of this form to really do the research and re-engagement in connecting young people back to their own process of self-education is part of what this form is about.”
On leading by example, through writing: “I think that the great thing about writing and the great thing about teaching writing is that all of our experience as a person can be put into the form. So everything from the horrible to the hilarious – not only do I try to write about myself but really provide spaces for other people to do the same. ”
Saturday, April 26th, 2014 8:00, SCC Campus Student Lounge, Keokuk, Iowa
Thursday, April 3, 2014 6:30-8:30pm, Beth Z’nai Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, 6601 South Kedzie Ave.
Thursday, March 20, 2014 11pm, Steppenwolf Theatre – Garage Rep
Thursday, February 27th, 2014 8:00, Second City Up Theatre, 1616 North Wells Chicago
Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014 7:45, Congregation Beth Judea, Buffalo Grove, IL
November 12-16th, 2013 Footage from Young Chicago Authors visit to Barcelona (Coval appears at 12:10 in video):
PROGRAMES A LA CARTA – CONNEXIÓ BARCELONA
Thursday, November 7th, 2013 Louder Than a Bomb Hamilton Launch, Hamilton, Canada
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013 Footage from LTAB Kansas City interview introduction and Schtick Book tour:
Kevin Coval on books, poetry and America’s youth
Monday, October 21st, 2013 6:00pm 1200 W Randolph Street, Chicago , IL 60607
TONIGHT at City Winery and
Get tickets in advance. Food will sell out.
BUY TIX for TONIGHT’s Dinner Party: Join BEARS GM Phil Emery, singing Diva Lynne Jordan, Louder than a Bomb Co-Founder, Kevin Coval and Chef Jared Wentworth of Longman & Eagle for food, chocolate, Voss Artesian Water from Norway, wine, unscripted conversation and a few performances.
BUY TIX for the Pre-Dinner Party Reception with BEARS Tight End MARTELLUS BENNETT, Phil Emery and Beth Emery TONIGHT! The VIP reception will feature the artwork of tight end and artist Martellus Bennett and artist Beth Emery, with both in attendance along with Phil Emery. Wine and cheese will be served. Proceeds from the reception and sales from the artwork support After School Matters as they provide Chicago teens opportunities to explore their talents while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond. The VIP ticket also includes entrance to The Dinner Party with dinner tastings, wine, water and chocolate in addition to the show.
Saturday, October 17th 6:00-7:30pm at Co-Prosperity Sphere 3219 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607
Thursday, October 10th, 2013 7:00pm on PBS
Kevin Coval on In The Loop broadcast tonight at 7:00pm CST on WYYC PBS Chicago (Channel 20). If you miss tonight’s airing of the program, there will be a re-broadcast of the episode on Sunday at 6:30pm CST.
Saturday, September 28th, 2013 5:30-8:30pm at NYU
Hands on Workshops & Keynote Luncheon with Kevin Coval at NYU
Thursday, September 26th, 2013 7:30pm, Greenlight BookStore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn,NY
Monday, September 23th, 2013 Bar 13 35 E. 13th St., Union Square, doors 7 p.m., show start 7:30pm
admission: $6 ($5 for students)
Friday, September 20th 10:00pm at 236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C, Revererend Pedro Peitri Way, NY
Thursday, August 28th 5-6:30pm at UIC, 400 South Peoria, Chicago
