Red Hen Press Inc

Student poetry workshops and wits hq: for over 20 years, red hen press has brought poetry education to underserved students in pasadena and los angeles through our writing in the schools (wits) program. This program serves participating students, teachers, and schools at no cost, reaching approximately 350 students annually by bringing published authors directly into classrooms to teach the craft of writing. Host schools are title i schools, meaning at least 40% of impacted students come from low-income families. Our wits program targets underserved elementary, middle, and high school students in los angeles county made up of the following demographics: 85% latinx/hispanic, 11% african american, 2% asian american, <1% european american, <1% native american, and <1% middle eastern.additionally, in 2024, red hen launched writing in the schools hq, an on-site summer extension of wits for local middle and high schoolers. In wits hq, students are able to explore poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction with red hen authors as well as gain in-depth knowledge of the publishing industry from red hen staff. Red hen press uses a data-driven approach to measure the success of the wits program and wits hq. Host teachers and students are polled through pre- and post-workshop surveys. Student evaluations include questions about confidence in writing and vocabulary as well as short-answer questions about interest in poetry, instructor effectiveness, and knowledge of the course content. Host teacher surveys include short-answer questions about student performance, the effectiveness of the curriculum, and the ability of the instructor to tailor their lessons to the students' level of understanding and to incorporate california state educational standards. We utilize qualitative and quantitative survey data, along with staff notes, to make improvements to the program.

Speaking and performing: red hen press conducts over 30 national and international literary events each year in person, online, and/or through hybrid formats. Literary events are an important way that red hen supports its up-and-coming authors, helping new voices establish literary careers. Nearly all events are free to the public and provide the opportunity to build community among book lovers. Events are frequently held in pasadena at red hen's building in an event space called the red hen press literary center, which includes opportunities for our writing in the schools k-12 students to perform their poetry for the public. In-person events are always ada accessible, and online events use technology such as captioning to ensure accessibility to a range of audiences. This year, we have been enjoying the use of our updated event space with new lighting and sound equipment funded by a grant from the perenchio foundation in 2023 in order to upgrade the amount and quality of our literary events and performances. Our annual fundraising event this year was also extremely successful, raisingmore money than any of our past events.

Other program services: beyond literary engagements, red hen press is a community focused organization that seeks to build a stronger future for literature, authors, and readers. Red hen press frequently participates in book donation programs with local service agencies and other community nonprofits. The red hen press literary center also hosts other local organizations and communities with readings, plays, operas, musical performances, and civic engagement activities, such as serving as a los angeles county voting center. To prepare the next generation of literary professionals, we also maintain a robust multi-department internship program that introduces college students and beyond to the publishing business and helps to develop individual careers through hands-on experiences. These activities all help to keep literature and the arts relevant and thriving for the local community and beyond.