WHO WE ARE

"OFF THE STREETS, ONTO STAGES" Jojo "lxdydon" Cisneros, Alumni & Co-Founder

Grown organically from the hearts of young emcees, poets, educators, and community members, The Pittsburg Prodigies and alumni-founded org IN MY SECTION carry on the legacy of young artists transforming their realities for the betterment of our communities, our gente, and ourselves. Our purpose is to elevate, support, and grow low-income youth poets and emcees in the East Bay Area, to provide poetry/rap-centered programs after-school for Pittsburg youth, and to promote community-specific and culturally responsive arts education. In My Section Inc. is a CA nonprofit organization with pending 501c(3) tax-exempt status. All donations will be allocated back to our programs and our artists.

For over 7 years the PHS SLAM club and The Pittsburg Prodigies have been inspiring and elevating Pittsburg youth to unprecedented artistic heights both in and beyond our community. Today, our club and beloved poetry team has evolved and blossomed into a 501c3 nonprofit, known as In My Section Inc. This nonprofit, which is entirely alumni created and operated, is a collective vision of our young artists in the 925 who realize the urgency of this work in our community and its capacity to heal, elevate, and improve quality of life for all

In addition to our success in the classroom, on the stage, and being known across the state, The Prodigies have amassed the following credentials in the previous 4 years alone

2019 Youth Speaks Unified Slam Team Finalists
2022 PUSD School Board Recognition- SLAM President
2022 Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam Finalists (5)
2022 Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam 3rd Place
2022 Youth Speaks MC Olympics Finalists (2)
2022 Youth Speaks Unified Slam Team Finalists
2022 Youth Speaks Unified Slam Community Award
2023 PUSD School Board Recognition - Prodigies Competition Team
2023 Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam Finalists (2)
2023 Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam 3rd Place
2023 Youth Speaks Radical Educator Award
2023 Youth Speaks Unified Slam Finalists
2023 Youth Speaks MC Olympics Finalists (2)
2023 Youth Speaks MC Olympics Champion

MEET OUR TEAM

Jojo "Lxdydon" Cisneros

CO-FOUNDER
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Alexander Finn

CO-FOUNDER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Finn is a poet, author, public school teacher, mentor, and proud Bay Area native. born and raised in the 925 in a devout football family, Finn descends from Mexican Californios, Irish immigrants, and the Xolon Salinan people of California’s central coast. Finn lives in Pittsburg, where he has been teaching, writing, and organizing since 2015. Finn is the 2023 Youth Speaks Radical Educator Award recipient, and he PUSD Equity Award Winner. Most notably, Finn coaches the award-winning youth poetry team, The Pittsburg Prodigies.
Gabriel Perez Cano

PROGRAM DIRECTOR
IMS AMBASSADOR
Gabriel Perez Cano is a Chicano college student who majors in Chicano Studies and is pursuing to become an educator for both public schools and universities. Born and raised in the Bay Area to a family of immigrants from the municipality of Pénjamo Guanajuato Mexico. He is one of the founding members of the Pittsburg Prodigious who’s brought attention to La Raza with his powerful spoken word. He’s apart of several clubs and programs such as puente and LatinE club in Los Medanos College and is currently trying to transfer to UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz Cal Eastbay, or UC Berkeley.
Brian Abazan

RESIDENT DJ
IMS AMBASSADOR