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Judith Rudge

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Hi, I'm Judith. I am 17 years old. I am a performance poet from South America. I am a finalist for the Providence National Poetry Slam Team. I plan on attending college in September (Dickinson College, PA) under a 4 year full-tuition scholarship from the POSSE Foundation. I also plan on double-majoring in English and Theology. I am currently an educator for an environmental re-envisioning program.
February 2001

Interesting Fact: My native language is Dutch.

Story Description: Since she moved to the Bronx from Suriname at age 12, Judith hasn't felt she fits in with any group. Dutch is her first language. She wants to be an opera singer. She's black. In Junior High, her peers wondered why she couldn't sing like 'Monica.' In High School, she remembers a girl from an African-American club telling her, "Dutch is not a Black language." She did not take up arms, as some outcasts have -- instead she took up poetry.

Mentor: Judith's Mentor is Jessie Graham. Jessie is a reporter for the New York Post. Before getting her start in print and radio journalism five years ago, she led camping trips for urban teens in the wilds of Connecticut.