Philadelphia hip-hop artist helps students find their voice through the Writers Matter program.

 

PHILADELPHIA, PA (WPVI) — “Honest writing is just my life, to be honest,” said Andre Saunders. “This is who I am and it started when I was a child and wanted to express myself and have role models.”

Born in South Philadelphia, Saunders enjoyed writing rap as a student. The Mount Airy native is now a successful hip-hop artist with three albums.

But his latest role extends beyond the recording studio, magazine articles and television programs. He recently became a regular writer on the Writers Matter program after meeting its founding director Bob Vogel.

“The program started with one teacher, one school and 80 students,” said Vogel, who was inspired by a similar program in California and created his own in 2005. “Today we have about 3,000 students, 18 schools and about 80 teachers.”

Writers Matter takes many forms, from intimate writing groups to assembly programs. Vogel and Saunders collaborated to create a new iteration based on poetry, hip hop and rap.

He’s already shining at Mitchell Elementary School in Philadelphia’s Kingsessing neighborhood.

“It gave me a comfort zone where I could just express myself,” said 11-year-old Jerianna Butts. “I keep it all in bottles and I don’t really share it with anyone. But when I rap, it just comes out.”

Butts wrote an original track about doing homework after school. Her classmates have already memorized half of them and are singing along with her.

Saunders helps create these kinds of works, which sometimes deal with much more sensitive topics related to children’s lives.

“We can communicate on many levels because I come from the same devastated areas as they do,” he said.

Saunders believes that developing this writing program will help children become better leaders in their lives and for those around them.

“Every year it gets bigger and better,” he said. “And honestly, I feel like that’s the core of what schools and the world need to be honest.”

To learn more about Writers Matter, visit their website.

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