Local teacher plans Slam Poetry festival for Michiana

The Louder Than A Bomb poetry festival in Chicago is the biggest spoken word festival in the country. Now a Mishawaka teacher wants to bring a similar event right here to Michiana. 

LaSalle Elementary teacher has used spoken word poetry as a teaching tool for his classes. Now he wants to spread that around the area.

Through his non-profit organization, Spitting Fire, Johnson has taught kids the importance of reading, writing and collaboration. 

He wants to put those skills on display with schools from Elkhart to Benton Harbor for a poetry slam festival. His goal is to bring something he feels the community needs; togetherness in a time where differences divide.

"The idea is let's get it out of just LaSalle," said Eric Johnson. "Let's bring it to South Bend. Because I know there is a need for these kids stories to be told. And one of the greatest ways to do that is brought poetry slam and that poetry festival."

The target date for the festival is April 2017.