SEATTLE - Capitalizing on a renewed interest in poetry fostered by Hip Hop and Rap music, local Comcast and El Centro de la Raza officials today announced that El Centro has received a $25,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation's Comcast Reading Network to fund a program that uses poetry to develop literacy and enhance creative thinking and writing skills for Seattle area youth.

"'Poetry expresses the inexpressible,' and we're profoundly elated that Comcast recognizes the key role poetry can play in motivating young people with underdeveloped reading and writing skills to delve into the world of literacy and express themselves through this wonderful and expressive art form. In a fast-paced and contradictory, world we have found that all youth, and particularly youth of color, thrive by expressing their joy and anguish in a loving environment like ours," said Roberto Maestas, executive director and founder of El Centro de la Raza.

Located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, El Centro de la Raza has been serving a diverse population of low-income Seattle residents since 1972. The organization's mission is to achieve equality, justice, dignity and freedom for all people without regard to race, color, creed, sex or national origin.

The $25,000 Comcast Foundation grant will be used to fund the poetry component of El Centro de la Raza's Hope for Youth Program. The program for students ages 10-18 is designed to help develop basic literacy skills and motivate young people with underdeveloped reading and writing skills to express themselves through the written word. It also focuses on helping participants develop a positive identity, healthy value system, social competencies and a commitment to learning. The poetry classes are held twice a week integrating no fewer than 80 students.

Recent studies have verified that poetry can improve reading and writing skills. For example, a 2002 study conducted by Dr. Jana Kay Slater, who specializes in the evaluation of school and community-based youth programs for the Public Health Institute, noted that "students experienced increases in vocabulary, critical analysis skills and reading comprehension," and "poetry education was felt to be particularly beneficial for students who were struggling in school, especially in the areas of writing and reading."

Through support of local reading initiatives, the Comcast Reading network is a company-wide effort dedicated to advancing literacy levels and reading skills in Comcast communities. Comcast believes that it is essential for young people to maintain basic literacy and reading skills in order to benefit from advances in technology.

"We believe that by encouraging our employees to volunteer and by investing in the areas of education, reading and literacy, we can make a lasting difference in our local communities. We're very excited to have the opportunity to lend our support to El Centro de la Raza and the organization's innovative poetry program," said John Dietrich, area vice president for Comcast.

About The Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 and is the company's chief source of charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs that work to create a positive, sustainable impact within our communities in the areas of volunteerism; literacy, reading and learning; and youth leadership development. Since its inception, The Comcast Foundation has donated more than $12 million to organizations in the communities where Comcast serves. More information about The Foundation and its programs is available at our website, www.comcast.com under "In the Community."

About Comcast Cable
Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation, a developer, manager and operator of broadband cable networks and provider of programming content. With a presence in 22 of the top 25 United States markets, Comcast is one of the leading communications, media and entertainment companies in the world. Providing basic cable, Digital Cable, high-speed Internet and telephone services, Comcast is the company to look to first for the communications products and services that connect people to what's important in their lives. The company's 59,000 employees serve more than 21 million customers.

Comcast, with offices throughout the state, serves more than one million customers and employs more than 2,600 people in Washington.

Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts.

More from Comcast Corporation