5JammaSlamma Brings Residents Together to Shine Light on Young Poets From Five Acres

Creator/Producer of 5JammaSlamma Actor Matt Lillard, hostes the 3rd Annual 5JammaSlamma at the Lodge in Highland Park

By Alex Cordero

The children of Five Acres had their moment of stardom during the Third Annual 5JammaSlamma event at the Lodge Room in Highland Park. The event was hosted by creator/producer of 5JammaSlamma and actor Matt Lillard, who presents a year-round poetry workshop for foster children at Five Acres’ Altadena campus. The presentation was the grand finale of the poetry workshop, presenting the local community with the opportunity to listen to original poetic works from the children.

“Even when I fall, I’m elegant,” was one of the poetic lines read by one of the children performing in front of many local residents sitting in the audience. The children delivered words of kindred spirits that seemed to resonate in the hearts of those who cheered and applauded them, and gave them standing ovations. “I will grow into something no one can ever cut down,” read another child.

There are up to 80 children residing at the Five Acres Altadena campus throughout the year. These are children who have suffered neglect, abuse or are working through difficult challenges of their own. The 5JammaSlamma is a workshop offered to the children at Five Acres all year long. This serves as a creative outlet for the children to be able to express and/or tell their story; often, children in foster care go unheard. The children living at Five Acres range from ages 6 through 14. What started as a week-long poetry project for actor Matt Lillard, and after Five Acres partnered up with Engaging the Senses Foundation, has turned into a steady year round creative outlet program for the children at Five Acres.

Among the performers on stage was also a group of poets from a program called Say Word. Say Word is a program offered free of charge to qualifying schools. Their in-school residency programming consists of two hour-long sessions, over the total of 24 weeks.

While the poetic readings were being presented a live painting performance was also being displayed by artist Norton Wisdom.

Guests were treated to live entertainment, cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres before the main performances. Guests were treated to free haikus from The Haiku Guys, tarot readings by Sophia and Candace of Beyond the Veil and musical performances by the Street Katz, Fabrice Martinez, and trumpet player Ireesh Lal to name a few. If you like to learn more about what you can do to contribute to Five Acres in your community please visit 5acres.org/volunteer-2.