Nearly 100 men took to the streets on Saturday March 23, in protesting the Chicago Public Schools' decision to close more than 50 schools across the city, including some in the Austin community.

By Ashley Lisenby

Digital Editor

Malcolm London is not afraid to express himself. The 20-year-old poet from Chicago's Austin neighborhood has been writing poems since 2009 that make listeners think about issues such as poverty, education and violence.

Some Chicagoans may know him well. He has performed and emceed for Louder Than a Bomb, a Chicago-based poetry competition and the largest of its kind in the nation. London also teaches poetry at Chicago inner city schools.

London's reach, however, is expanding. He performed his poem "High School Training Ground," at a Ted Talks Education conference in May 2013 and the video of his poem "Never Too Late," is on Heart Of The City TV.

"I would say Malcolm is one the most important voices in Chicago," said Kevin Coval, London's mentor and Louder Than a Bomb co-founder in an interview with CBS reporter Dean Reynolds. "He's seen the whole city for what it is. He's angry, but his anger is directed. It's righteous."

Read the full report.

Contact:

Email: ashley@austinweeklynews.com Twitter: @AustinWeeklyChi