Tonight?s event features young writhers in the Guild Complex?s ?Writing Through the Prisms of Self and Community: workshop.

Teens will recite their poetry and prose, written during an eight-week workshop led by award-winning author Luis Rodriguez. Prism is a three-year project in which Rodriguez works with ?youth at risk? to develop writing techniques in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and performance. The workshop aims to develop a new generation of young writers. Reading their works will be Theresa Nazarro, Amy Stauffer, Michael Pogue, Katie Gallo, Dellana Tart, Tabra Willhite, Heather Herkert, Dolly Arguello, Kalli Agoglossakis, Simone Peer, Sharon Ramos, Gladys Rodriguez, Leslie Hernandez, Edith Bucio, Kath Jacobson and Gillian Young Miller. Rodriguez grew up in Watts and East L.A. His best selling memoir about his gang life, Always Running ? La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A., won the Carl Sandburg Award. In his recent poetry book, Trochemoche, Rodriguez writes powerfully and passionately about urban youth, family and the plight of neglected communities. In September he will be awarded the prestigious Hispanic Heritage Award, which will be presented at the John f. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Prism is funded by the Lila-Wallace Reader?s Digest Fund.