>> PRODUCTION OF "BROAD & HIGH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL.

SUPPORTING ARTS, ADVANCING CULTURE, AND CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO ARTISTS.

EVENTS AND CLASSES AT COLUMBUSMAKESART.COM.

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>>> THIS TIME ON "BROAD & HIGH."

WE MEET AN AUTHOR WHO COLLABORATES WITH HER DAUGHTER TO CREATE CHILDREN'S BOOKS WITH UNIQUE CHARACTERS.

AN OKLAHOMA BASED ARTIST EXPLAINS HER WOODEN MURAL WHICH REWRITES HISTORY.

TAMPA BAY AREA POETS BATTLE IT OUT IN A BOXING RING.

AND DRAWINGS BY COLUMBUS SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT TO LIFE IN GLASS.

THIS AND MORE RIGHT NOW ON "BROAD & HIGH."

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>> WELCOME TO "BROAD & HIGH."

I AM YOUR HOST KATE QUICKEL.

MANY OF US CAN NAME A BELOVED CHARACTER FROM BOOKS WE READ IN OUR YOUTH.

WHETHER THAT BE THE HARDY BOYS OR NANCY DREW OR MORE CURRENTLY PINKALICIOUS.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR EVERYONE.

SRD HARRIS DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF CHARACTERS THAT LOOKED LIKE HER IN THE BOOKS SHE READ GROWING UP.

SHE DECIDED TO WORK TOWARDS CHANGING THIS DYNAMIC AND PURSUE A LIFETIME DREAM OF BEING AN AUTHOR.

WE RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT THIS JOURNEY WITH SRD AND HER DAUGHTER.

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>> GROWING UP IN NORTH EASTERN OHIO, I LOVED BOOKS.

EVER SINCE I WAS A CHILD, I CAN REMEMBER BEING IN LOVE WITH BOOKS.

I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME I DIDN'T HAVE A LIBRARY CARD AND GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY WEEK AND PILE UP ON BOOKS TO BRING HOME AND READ.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS WERE POEMS AND RHYMING STORIES.

I STILL HAVE SOME OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS FROM BEING A CHILD.

I WAS ACTUALLY IN TWO CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

ONE IS "YOGA IS FOR ME" AND THE SECOND BOOK WAS ABOUT NUTRITION.

THAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO WANT TO BE AN AUTHOR WHEN I GREW UP.

I ALWAYS KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO.

BUT LIFE TOOK TWIST AND TURNS TO GET ME HERE TO FINALLY ACHIEVE MY GOAL.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN TEACHING OUR CHILDREN TO READ REALLY YOUNG.

WE LOVE READING.

SO KNOWING THAT I WANTED TO TRY TO INSPIRE CHILDREN TO HAVE A LOT OF READING AND SPARK THAT INTEREST IN YOUNG CHILDREN.

I CHOSE CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.

I THINK THE EARLIER YOU CAN IMPACT A CHILD WITH A LOVE OF READING.

AND SEEING BOOKS THAT REPRESENT THEM AND CELEBRATE DIVERSITY IS A POSITIVE THING.

IT CAN ONLY MAKE CHILDREN'S IMAGINATIONS GROW BROADER, BRIGHTER, STRONGER.

AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE BETTER READERS AND BETTER WRITERS.

AND WITH THE HISTORIC ELECTION OF KAMALA HARRIS BEING A GIRL MOM, THAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO TRY TO CAPTURE THAT HISTORIC MOMENT.

AND SO "FUTURE MISS PRESIDENT" WAS BORN OUT OF THAT INSPIRATION.

AND IN THIS STORY, KAMI'S MOM WAKES HER UP IN THE MORNING WITH THE EXCITING NEWS THAT THE NEW VP IS JUST LIKE HERE.

KAMI COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT WAS LIKE HER, BECAUSE SHE KNEW WE'D ONLY HAD MALE VP'S PREVIOUSLY.

SO THROUGHOUT THE STORY KAMI GETS THE IDEA OF WONDERING WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR HER AND HER FUTURE.

AND NOT ONLY DOES SHE DREAM BIG DREAMS, SHE DREAMS BIG ENOUGH TO SEE HERSELF ONE DAY BECOMING PRESIDENT AS WELL.

ALL OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.

MY HUSBAND'S BEEN SUPER INVOLVED.

HE'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY GAVE ME THE TITLE "FUTURE MISS PRESIDENT" FOR MY BOOK, BECAUSE I HAD ANOTHER TITLE I HAD BEEN BOUNCING AROUND.

BUT OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER SHE REALLY BECAME INVOLVED IN HELPING ME LAY OUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND COME UP WITH THE RHYMING WORDS.

COME UP WITH THE STORY THAT SHE THOUGHT WOULD BE INTERESTING FROM A YOUNG CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE.

SO THAT WAS VERY SPECIAL.

>> I FEEL LIKE WE WORK TOGETHER REALLY GOOD, BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE IDEAS AND SHE HAS IDEAS.

THEN WE JUST MAKE THEM TOGETHER AND THEN SOMETIMES SHE'S DOING SOMETHING, I FEEL LIKE I CAN TYPE THINGS, TYPE WORDS.

I DON'T ALWAYS DO THE PICTURES, I FEEL LIKE SHE DOES MORE OF THE PICTURES -- BUT I STILL HELP.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST REALLY FUN, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING I CAN DO THAT'S EASY TO DO.

AND IT'S NOT VERY HARD TO DO IT.

I MEAN IT'S HARD SOMETIMES, BUT YOU KNOW.

>> WHEN MY DAUGHTER AND I COLLABORATE ON OUR PROJECTS WE SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IDEAS FIRST.

WE TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS.

WHAT THEY SHOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE SETTING SHOULD BE LIKE.

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE WE WANT TO HAVE THE BOOK SHOW.

SO EACH ONE OF OUR TITLES HAS A SPECIFIC MESSAGE.

WHETHER IT'S HEALTHY EATING, ACCEPTING YOURSELF, CELEBRATING DIVERSITY.

DREAMING BIG DREAMS.

ALL OF THOSE IDEAS WE CAME UP WITH TOGETHER AND WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO BRING THAT STORY TO LIFE AND HOW THE ILLUSTRATIONS SHOULD LOOK.

THEN SHE TELLS ME, MOMMY THAT DOESN'T SOUND TOO GOOD.

LET'S TRY THIS WAY, LETS' TRY THAT.

AND I LISTEN TO HER IDEAS AND IT'S JUST AS MUCH HER INPUT AS MINE IN EACH OF THE BOOKS.

IT TURNS OUT REALLY WELL.

>> I WANT PEOPLE TO REALLY SEE WHAT THE BOOKS MEAN.

LIKE THEY'RE MEANING TO HAVE IMAGINATION OR THEY MEANING TO DREAM BIG.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE A LESSON.

LIKE YOU WANT THEM TO SEE SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOOKS.

I FEEL LIKE YOU WANT THEM TO SEE THEY CAN DO ANYTHING, AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT.

I LIKE ALL THE BOOKS.

BUT IF I HAD TO CHOOSE ONE IT'S PROBABLY "BELLA LOVES HER UMBRELLA."

BECAUSE I LOVE HOW THAT BOOK'S BASED ON IMAGINATION.

>> GRACIE'S GRACE WAS INSPIRED BY OUR ACTUAL SHELTER PUPPY NAMED GRACIE.

WHO WE ADOPTED DURING QUARANTINE LOCKDOWN.

BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE WITH ADOPTING HER THROUGH OUR ANIMAL SHELTER, WE DECIDED TO WRITE A BOOK BASED ON HER ADOPTION.

A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS GO BACK TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

THIS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.

WE'VE BEEN RESCUING DOGS FOR 20 YEARS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE GREAT EXPERIENCE WE HAD WITH CHA, WE JUST KNEW WE WANTED A WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THEM.

SO GRACIE WAS BORN AND HAD A CHERRY EYE AS A PUPPY.

AND IN THE STORY IT TALKS ABOUT SHE WASN'T SURE WHETHER HER PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES WOULD KEEP HER FROM GETTING ADOPTED OR NOT.

AND SHE SAW OTHER DOGS GETTING ADOPTED BEFORE HER.

IT MADE HER FEEL A LITTLE INSECURE.

SO THROUGHOUT THE STORY IT TALKS ABOUT SELF ACCEPTANCE.

LOVING YOURSELF, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.

NOT CHANGING A THING.

TRULY BELIEVE WHAT'S MEANT FOR YOU WILL HAPPEN.

>> WHEN I FIRST SAW HER, WHEN SHE HAD A CHERRY EYE, I FEEL LIKE I DIDN'T REALLY CARE THAT MUCH.

I DIDN'T CARE THAT SHE WAS DIFFERENT 'CAUSE SHE WAS A REALLY GOOD DOG.

IT JUST DEPENDED ON HOW THEY WERE, NOT LIKE HOW THEY LOOK.

BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT LOOKS AS LONG AS THEY'RE A NICE, GENUINE PERSON -- AND WELL, DOG IN THIS CASE.

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SHE'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED GROWING UP IS THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF PICTURE BOOKS OF KIDS THAT LOOKED LIKE ME.

AND IN DOING THE RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT ONLY 12% OF MAINSTREAM PUBLISHED BOOKS HAVE DIVERSE CHARACTERS.

SO IT BECAME MY MISSION TO WRITE AND PUBLISH AND PRODUCE BOOKS THAT I FELT WERE IMPORTANT.

A MISSING PART IN LITERACY, AND I'D LIKE TO DISRUPT THAT.

CHANGE THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT AND INSPIRE CHILDREN TO SEE BOOKS THAT LOOK LIKE THEM.

I REALLY THINK REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

NOT ONLY TO THE UNDER REPRESENTED GROUPS, BUT ALSO FOR THE MAJORITY TO SEE THESE CHILDREN IN A POSITIVE LIGHT, WITH FAMILY SETTINGS, DOING WONDERFUL THINGS, AND MAKING HISTORIC MOMENTS COME TRUE.

IT HAS BEEN A COMPLETE DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME.

IT'S SUCH A THRILL.

EVERY SINGLE DAY TO KNOW THAT I AM LEAVING A LEGACY FOR MY FAMILY AND MY CHILDREN.

BUT ALSO IMPACTING CHILDREN FOREVER AROUND THE WORLD.

TO ME, SEEING IT GOING FROM MY MIND -- LIKE LITERALLY AN IDEA IN MY MIND, TO A PIECE OF PAPER, TO A BOOK.

THAT PROCESS, THOSE THREE STEPS -- IT'S LIKE HAVING A BABY.

WHEN YOU SEE IT BORN, IT'S THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD.

>> TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEWEST RELEASES FROM THIS DYNAMIC DUO VISIT SRDHARRISBOOKS.COM SCENES OF VARIOUS TRAGEDIES HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED IN ARTWORKS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.

WHAT IF INSTEAD THE ARTIST'S CREATION DEPICTS A TIME IN WHICH THE TRAGEDY NEVER OCCURRED.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED RECENTLY WHEN A POET AND ARTIST COMBINED THEIR TALENTS TO CREATE GREENWOOD IMAGINE.

USING WOOD AS HER MEDIUM, ARTIST EBONY IMAN DALLAS'S MURAL SHOWS THE DISTRICT AS IF 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE NEVER HAPPENED.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS STRIKING AND EMOTIONAL WORK OF INTERACTIVE ART.

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>> MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER CAME FROM -- YOU KNOW SOMALILAND AND LITERALLY WHEN THE CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT, BOMBS ARE BEING DROPPED ON YOUR HOUSE BY THE GOVERNMENT.

SO IT REMINDED ME OF WHAT HAPPENED IN GREENWOOD.

ONE MINUTE EVERYTHING IS FINE AND THE NEXT MOMENT IT'S ALL GONE.

MY NAME IS EBONY IMAN DALLAS AND I AM AN ARTIST.

I LOVE TO TELL STORIES THROUGH MY WORK.

I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY A LOT OF MY CHOICES ARE INFLUENCED BY MY BACKGROUND.

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IN 2008 I WENT TO VISIT MY FAMILY IN SOMALILAND.

WE WERE GETTING HENNA DONE AND MY ART JUST KIND OF LENDS ITSELF TO THAT.

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MY ART SINCE THEN HAS DEFINITELY BECOME A LOT MORE FREE.

CLOSE TO A YEAR AND HALF AGO, TONY BRINKLEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME BECAUSE HE HAD THIS IDEA CALLED GREENWOOD IMAGINE.

TONY, HE'S A POET -- AMAZING, PHENOMENAL, AWARD WINNING POET.

HIS GRANDSON DEREK TINSLEY IS A FILMMAKER.

SO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A PAINTER TO CREATE A SERIES A MURAL THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE POEM.

AND SO I PROPOSED TO HIM THAT I CREATE THE MURALS SOLELY OUT OF WOOD.

THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE NOT TO CUT YOUR HAND OFF.

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>> SO THE VERY FIRST SCENE IS LIKE THE PAST.

SO LET'S SHOW WHAT GREENWOOD WAS LIKE BEFORE DESTRUCTION.

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SO IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL OF A LITTLE GIRL WITH HER FATHER WALKING THROUGH TOWN WITH AN ICE CREAM CONE.

THE SECOND SCENE WAS PRETTY MUCH CREATED AFTER READING THROUGH A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS -- BUT THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT YOU KNOW IT WAS A SURVIVOR -- I BELIEVE SHE WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD WHEN THE MASSACRE OCCURRED.

SHE TALKED ABOUT THESE REOCCURRING DREAMS THAT SHE WOULD HAVE.

AND TO ME IT SOUNDS LIKED PTSD.

LIKE SHE TALKED ABOUT THE SMOKE, AND SHE TALKED ABOUT THE SMELLS.

SHE TALKED ABOUT THE FIRE AND IT WAS JUST SO VIVID, HER DESCRIPTION.

LIKE I IMMEDIATELY WAS ABLE TO CREATE A SKETCH FOR IT.

I GUESS IN SOME WAYS I WENT THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS MURDERED BY POLICE OFFICERS.

SO THAT IDEA OF THIS FATHER, DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP AND LOSS RESONATED WITH ME.

READING THESE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LOST PARENTS IN GREENWOOD DEFINITELY RESONATED.

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THE THIRD SCENE IS LET'S IMAGINE WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN LIKE.

WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE HAD THE MASSACRE NEVER OCCURRED?

THERE WILL BE SOME PUZZLE PIECES MISSING.

SO THEN WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE AUDIENCE COME UP AND PLACE IT INTO THE PIECE.

>> LET'S IMAGINE, WHAT IT?

WHAT IF THE MASSACRE NEVER HAPPENED?

WHAT IF TULSA RESIDENTS HAD ENJOYED FREE REIGN TO FLOURISH INTO THE FUTURE, AND GREENWOOD NEVER LOST THAT YES WE CAN MINDSET?

CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS?

>> BUT BASICALLY IT'S LIKE WE HAVE THE POWER TO RECREATE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE A NEW GREENWOOD.

WE JUST NEED TO BELIEVE IN IT AND GO FOR IT.

>> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AND SIMILAR PROJECTS VISIT THE GREENWOOD PROJECT WEBSITE.

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>> WHEN I SAY FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEE, MOST WOULD PICTURE THE GREAT MUHAMMAD ALI.

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE IS THAT HE'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FIRST WELL KNOWN SPOKEN WORD ARTIST.

IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, THEY'VE COMBINED A LOVE OF MUHAMMAD ALI AND HIS PRINCIPLES WITH A SLAM POETRY COMPETITION IN -- YOU GUESSED IT A BOXING RING.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

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>> SO TONIGHT IS A SUPER COMBINATION OF ATHLETICISM AND ALSO LITERATURE AND POETRY.

WE'VE GOT FOUR OF THE BEST POETS IN THE CITY WHO ARE GOING TO BE COMPETING HEAD TO HEAD.

THEY WANTED A STAGE TO VOICE THEIR LOVE FOR MUHAMMAD ALI AND HIS PRINCIPLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE WAY THAT THE ENTIRE EVENT IS GOING TO BE ORGANIZED IS ALMOST LIKE A BOXING MATCH.

>> PLEASE CLAP IT UP FOR YOUR FIRST SACRIFICIAL POET, CHARLES HINES.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> SO I FOCUSED MY POEM ON RESILIENCE AND OVERCOMING OBSTACLES.

SO I SPIN IT INTO FIGHTING AGAINST OPPRESSION AND THOSE EVERYDAY THINGS THAT PREVENT YOU FROM BEING YOUR BEST SELF.

FROM SEEING THE LIGHT.

>> EVERY WORD THEY SAY JUST STINGS, LIKE WILL I EVER BE ALL RIGHT?

I AM NOT A CHAMPION.

>> IN THIS MOMENT YOU MAY NOT FEEL LIKE A CHAMPION OR YOUR BEST SELF.

BUT ALWAYS STANDING UP AGAIN AND STAYING IN RING UNTIL ONE DAY YOU LOOK AND SAY HEY, I AM THE CHAMPION.

>> HOW AM I GOING TO PUT MY SOCK ON TODAY AND WALK A MILE IN EVERYONE'S SHOES WHILE I STAY STUCK IN CEMENT.

STILL TRYING TO SOOTHE, I KNOW.

>> SOMEONE LIKE MUHAMMAD ALI, EVEN HE GOT TIRED AND EXHAUSTED ON DAYS I AM SURE.

BECAUSE IT'S ALL JUST SO MUCH SOMETIMES.

THE POEM THAT I WROTE IS JUST KIND OF SAYING THAT IT'S OK TO HAVE BAD DAYS AND IT'S OK TO HAVE DAYS WHERE YOU FOCUS ON YOURSELF AND YOU FOCUS ON YOURSELF AND YOU'RE STILL A GREAT PERSON.

>> I MISSED THE DAYS WHEN WE PULLED OUT BOXING GLOVES INSTEAD OF HAND GUNS.

BEFORE FIST BECAME SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOLS AND DOUBLE ACTION REVOLVERS.

>> IN 2017 I STARTED GROW HOUSE BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

THE IDEA WAS TO TAKE THE ELEMENTS OF SLAM POETRY AND THE COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND USE IT FOR OTHER FORMS OF ART.

>> NOSY SHIPWRECKS RESURFACE TO WATCH DOLPHINS ORNAMENT BLACK BRAIDS WITH GOLD.

SHE PULLS MOUNT EVEREST OUT OF HER BREASTS AND EACH NAIL LINES UP FOR ITS TURN AT GETTING EVEN.

2019 IS WHEN I PARTNERED UP WITH DENNIS.

HE'S AN EXCELLENT HOST AND HE'S A GREAT PEOPLE PERSON.

HE'S A LOT MORE OUTGOING THAN I WOULD SAY I AM.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY A GREAT PARTNERSHIP IN THAT I AM MORE RESERVED AND HE'S GREAT AT JUST BEING PEOPLE PERSON.

PROFOUND POETS THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW, WALTER WALLY B.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> WALLY B.

IS KIND OF THIS TREE TRUNK, RIGHT?

AND HE'S KIND OF BROUGHT POETRY AS SPOKEN WORD DOWN FROM TALLAHASSEE.

WHEN HE BROUGHT IT HERE TO TAMPA YOU KNOW FROM THAT BLOSSOMED A LOT OF EVERYTHING YOU SEE TODAY.

>> THIS EARTH WAS NOT BUILT BY BRICK AND MORTAR.

WHAT YOU DO MAY MAKE YOU IMPORTANT, BUT WHY YOU DO WILL MAKE YOU IMMORTAL.

THE POEM THAT I HAVE IS REALLY ABOUT THE WHOLE AGING PROCESS.

AND HOW ITS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THE TOTALITY OF OUR LIFE AS ONE COHESIVE EXPERIENCE.

RATHER THAN THESE FRAGMENTED PARTS WHERE WE FALL IN LOVE AND HATE THE OTHER.

SO WITH MUHAMMAD ALI A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE KIND OF ABLE TO SEGMENT HIS LIFE INTO VARIOUS SECTIONS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HIM AS A YOUNG CHAMPION.

THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ATTENTION THAT HE GOT AS AN ACTIVIST, AND THEN IN HIS LATTER YEARS AS HE DEALT WITH PARKINSON'S AND LOT OF MEDICAL CHALLENGES.

SO MOST PEOPLE THEY EXPERIENCE OR KNOW HIM AND THEY REALLY HIS LIFE RESONATES WITH HIM, HEAVILY USUALLY IN ONE OF THOSE THREE AREAS.

I REMIND EVERYONE THAT GREATNESS IS JUST OVER THE HORIZON.

>> ALI IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE THAT IS LIKE ONE OF MY SUPER HEROES.

>> I JUST LOOK AT HIM AS SOMEONE WHO IS SO DEDICATED TO GETTING WHAT HE WANTS.

>> JUST GOING BACK AND WATCHING OLD FOOTAGE OF HIM AND SEEING HOW HE WAS ABLE TO COME OUT ON TOP AGAINST SOME OF THE BIGGEST FIGHTERS.

AND THEN OF COURSE OUTSIDE OF THE RING HE WAS JUST AN ARTISTIC PERSON OVERALL.

>> HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST I WOULD SAY LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST WELL KNOWN -- LIKE SPOKEN WORD KIND OF POETS.

>> FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEE.

RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.

HEY!

>> THAT'S THE BEST TYPE OF POETRY TO ME.

IT'S LIKE THE AUTHENTIC GENUINE, AND THAT'S ALL MUHAMMAD ALI IS, YOU KNOW?

>> THE FACT THAT HE CRAFTED HIMSELF AS HIS OWN CHARACTER AND CHOSE TO BE TRUE TO THAT, COME HELL OR HIGH WATER.

YOU KNOW WITH ALL OF THE WEIGHT THAT EACH ONE OF HIS DECISIONS HAS MADE NOT JUST FOR HIMSELF, BUT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF HIS PEOPLE HERE IN AMERICA.

>> HE GOT SOMETHING THAT HE HAD BEEN TRAINING FOR, BASICALLY HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

AND HE DECIDED TO GIVE IT UP FOR THE GOOD OF OTHER PEOPLE.

>> I LOVED HIM -- AS YOU KNOW BEING A BLACKMAN WHO WAS COMPLETELY CONFIDENT IN WHO HE WAS.

AT THAT TIME THAT WAS VERY NOT OK TO DO THAT.

>> HE BECAME THE FIRST, IN MY EYES, THE FIRST ATHLETE THAT WAS MORE THAN HIS SPORT.

[ BELL RING ] >> I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MEET, SEE, BE IN THE PRESENCE OF ALI.

WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES MOST HIGH.

>> THE POEM THAT I WROTE FOR THIS EVENT, I WAS TRYING TO TAKE SOME OF HIS CORE TENANTS AND EXPOUND UPON THEM AND FIND HOW I AM TRYING TO EXEMPLIFY THEM IN MY LIFE.

JUST A SMALL HOMAGE TO MUHAMMAD ALI.

>> AND CONVICTION, SPIRITUALITY AND DEDICATION HE WAS RESPECT AND GIVING.

>> WE WANT TAMPA TO BE A CITY THAT PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF REALLY DOPE SPOKEN WORD POETRY.

LIKE OH WE GOT TO GO TO TAMPA AND GROW HOUSE.

WE REALLY BELIEVE IN BUILDING COMMUNITY AND WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE THE SAME GOAL AS US.

>> TAMPA AS A WHOLE, OUTSIDE OF EVEN JUST POETRY IS REALLY BLOSSOMING IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY IN THE ART SCENE.

SO -- AND WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.

>> WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE.

WE ALL WANT TAMPA TO BE KNOWN AS THIS AWESOME CITY AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF TALENT HERE.

GROW HOUSE JUST WANTS TO BE PLATFORM TO SHOW THAT AND PUT TAMPA ON THE MAP BASICALLY.

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>> IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN THE TAMPA AREA AND WANT TO CHECK OUT LOCAL ARTIST AND POETS OR EVEN WRITE HAIKU OF YOUR OWN, CONNECT WITH THEM ON INSTAGRAM @GROWHOUSETAMPA.

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THIS NEXT STORY REMINDS US THAT WHEN YOU BLEND THE IMAGINATION WITH THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF MOLTEN GLASS THE CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

TALENTED ARTISTS AT GLASS AXIS IN FRANKLINTON HAVE BROUGHT TO LIFE FANTASTICAL CREATURES DRAWN BY COLUMBUS SCHOOL CHILDREN.

LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

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>> SO WE ARE HERE AT GLASS AXIS AND THIS IS THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE FANTASTICAL CREATURES PROGRAM.

FANTASTICAL CREATURES IS A GREAT PROGRAM TO ALLOW CHILDREN AND PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS TO VIEW THE WORLD IN A REALLY FUN WAY AND PUT A CREATURE IN THE WORLD THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED BEFORE.

>> WE ARE WORKING WITH SIX DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

THESE ARE ALL THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS.

WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL GRANT FROM PNC ART'S ALIVE THIS YEAR TO OFFER THE PROGRAM AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOLS.

SO WE SENT ART SUPPLIES.

WE WERE ABLE TO SEND DRAFT PAPER, CARD STOCK, DRAWING PAPER.

WE ALSO SENT COLORED MARKERS AND WE SAID WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF A CREATURE THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED BEFORE AND WRITE US A STORY ABOUT IT.

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>> SO IT HAS TO BE COMPLETELY ORIGINAL.

NOT ABOUT A VIDEOGAME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH IT, THEY HAVE TO INSPIRE IT THEMSELVES.

NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE TO DRAW A PICTURE, THEY HAVE TO WRITE A STORY THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.

AND THAT'S ALMOST THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE.

ESPECIALLY WITH THIRD GRADERS, THEY HAVE STATE TESTING AND THEY ARE WRITING ESSAYS.

SO IT'S THE NARRATIVE WRITING PIECE IS EVEN BETTER.

>> WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS A CROSS CURRICULUM PROJECT FOR THE SCHOOLS.

THE SCHOOLS HAVE TO BE SO FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY NEED TO GET IN DURING A SCHOOL YEAR.

WE WANT TO TRY TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE EASIER FOR THEM.

SO BY OFFERING THIS, USE THIS CREATIVITY AND THEN WRITE ABOUT IT.

USE DETAILS.

USE THE SENTENCE STRUCTURE.

USE THE THINGS YOU LEARN.

AND THEN WE TURN IT INTO ART.

SO IT'S REALLY A CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE HOW ALL THESE DIFFERENT POINTS IN A SCHOOL'S CURRICULUM CAN MELD RIGHT INTO ART.

>> WHEN WE WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING AT THE SUBMISSIONS, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY WERE BEING MADE, AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THEM AND READING THE STORIES.

SEEING IF IT WAS POSSIBLE.

SO THAT WAS PART OF THE BEGINNING PROCESS OF CHOOSING WAS -- DECIDING IF COULD BE DONE IN GLASS.

>> IT'S LIKE FIRST I LOOK AT THE PICTURE AND GO, CAN I MAKE THIS?

IS IT POSSIBLE?

THEN YOU READ THE STORY AND IT SEALS THE DEAL, I THINK, FOR SURE.

>> SHE LIVES IN THE UNICORNS HEAVENS.

LUNA LIKE TO DO WORK AT THE SLIME GLITTER FACTORY.

RAINBOWS, GLITTER AND SLIME MAKE HER HAPPY.

I FEEL LIKE THAT MAKES ME HAPPY TOO.

>> YOU GUYS THIS IS GOING TO BE SO HARD.

THEY'RE ALL SO AMAZING.

>> I KNOW.

>> WE CHOSE AT LEAST ONE FROM EACH SCHOOL.

IN THIS CASE THERE'S AT LEAST TWO FROM EVERY SCHOOL WE CHOSE THIS YEAR.

THEN WE INVITE THE CLASSES TO COME HERE.

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>> TODAY WE ARE MAKING THE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLYFISH.

WE'RE RUNNING AT ABOUT 2,000 DEGREES IN BOTH OF OUR FURNACES.

THE REHEATING CHAMBER IS ROUGHLY 2,300 DEGREES.

A LITTLE HOTTER THAN THE FURNACE, JUST SO THAT WE CAN -- THE GLASS TURNS INTO A SOLID AT A RAPID RATE, SO WE WANT TO KEEP IT WARM AND WORKABLE AS WE'RE TOUCHING.

WE DO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE ASPECT OF GLASS.

THERE'S A LOT OF MOLECULAR CHANGE THAT HAPPENS.

WE'RE WORKING WITH HEAT AND GRAVITY AND TOUCH.

IT'S INTERESTING TO SHOW THE KIDS THAT WE ARE PLAYING WITH A LAVA SUBSTANCE AND WE'RE OKAY.

I THINK THE KIDS ARE REALLY EXCITED WHEN THE GLASS IS IN ITS MOLTEN STATE.

THAT WE ARE TOUCHING IT AND SHAPING IT AND IT'S COMING TOGETHER.

I THINK THE EXCITEMENT COMES WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO TAME THE GLASS AS IT'S MOVING.

'CAUSE IT'S WAGGING AROUND AND THEN WE TOUCH AND IT STOPS.

THE KIDS GO, OOH.

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>> DID YOU HEAR THEM IN THE AUDIENCE?

THEY WERE -- YEAH, SHE WAS LIKE IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE PICTURES.

SO I WAS LIKE, THAT'S THE GOAL.

I REALLY WANT TO GET AS CLOSE TO THE CHILD'S IMAGINATION AS POSSIBLE.

THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THEY SEE EVERYDAY AND I FEEL LIKE ART IS NOT ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT'S PUSHED.

IT'S LIKE THEY WANT TO BE A DOCTOR, THEY WANT TO BE A LAWYER.

THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY CAN BE ARTIST TOO.

AND AFTER LEAVING THEY ALL -- THEY ALL WANT TO BE GLASS BLOWERS.

>> I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS.

PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH DO YOU LOVE YOUR JOB?

YES.

YES.

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>> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GLASS AXIS VISIT GLASSAXIS.ORG.

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