Poetry depicts street youth

The Sonja Haynes Stone Center became the streets of the inner city Tuesday night with a performance of ""The Spectrum.""

The spoken-word event provided a glimpse into the lives of inner-city youth in the Triangle"" showing the evils of street crime.

The play was sponsored by the criminal justice action and awareness committee of the Campus Y.

""The Spectrum"" was created partially in response to the growing presence of gangs and street crime in the Triangle and partially because of the violent killing of former Student Body President Eve Carson. It was written by UNC junior Kane ""NovaKane"" Smego.

The performance followed protagonist Troy" played by sophomore Travis Melvin as he faced situations such as rampant drug use and sales drug-related deaths and other unfortunate circumstances.

Kane used several plot twists" and characters mourned over a brother killed in Iraq and a sister in a coma.

The play was peppered with philosophical catch-phrases: ""You can't drink six-packs when you're six feet underground"" and ""Even Lucifer started out as an angel.""

The Mighty Arms of Atlas break dancing group also performed during the show.

""I really enjoyed the play"" said junior Lorenzo Hopper. It showed a lot of the struggles that some children growing up in inner-cities have to go through that some of us don't realize.""

The play was meant to promote conversations about the perils of youth in cities.

""We've got to build our own rainbows — for us and for them — before the spectrum vanishes"" a narrator said at the play's end.

Audience members were then solicited for their volunteer time as the director, playwright and sponsors began a panel discussion with the audience.

Several of the panelists reflected on their experiences volunteering at the Durham County Youth Home, a juvenile detention center. They related their personal stories working with youth and the play.

Donations accepted at the event went toward local charitable work, such as purchasing books for the youth home.

The panel discussed gang issues and the perpetual cycle of surviving on the streets.

The discussion also turned to the recidivism rates of inner-city youth who fall back into gang culture even after mentors and volunteers try to pull them out.

Kane said that true life for inner-city youth isn't like the movies.

Not everything is ‘Coach Carter"""" he said.


Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.