History

Youth Speaks History

In 1996, a non-profit youth literary arts organization called Youth Speaks was formed in San Francisco by James Kass (poet and educator) in collaboration with other artists and community organizers, laying a blueprint for similar youth writing organizations across the country. Many of these groups network regularly in efforts to create an international coalition from San Francisco to New York, stretching as far as Leeds, England. Although each organization has a very different modus operandi (capacities, policies, size, etc.) the mission remains the same: improving the quality of life across communities by encouraging young people's self-expression, and providing awareness of the issues with which today's youth are being inundated.

In addition to fostering artistic growth, Youth Speaks Seattle works to ensure that youth voices are heard offstage as well, while arming them with invaluable leadership & life skills to aid them during the tumultuous transition from teenager to adult.

Youth Speaks Seattle

The first youth poetry slam in the greater Seattle area took place in the small town of Auburn, WA at the Spoken Word Lab (SPLAB) more than ten years ago. The top five poets from this competition were the first youth team to ever represent Seattle at the national level. Jojo Gaon and Maya Santos, with a group of committed youth writers, formed the Seattle chapter in 2002. With humble beginnings and little to no funding, Youth Speaks Seattle has sustained a solid program that is often recognized as Seattle's premier youth writing organization. In the last five Brave New Voices youth national poetry festivals, Seattle has finished in the top ten. Many of the Youth Speaks Seattle alumni are currently seeking higher education and/or furthering their careers as performing artists, publishing books and recording albums. Since its inception, YSS has been a much needed platform for local youth to hone their craft and realize their genius.

A Brief Timeline

> Formed in 2001 as a youth offshoot of isangmahal arts kollective, a revolutionary Filipino-American arts collective founded in Seattle (1997) and operating on the principles that the personal is political and art is activism.

> Sent youth teams composed of Filipino-American youth to the 2001 and 2002 Brave New Voices Poetry Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

> In 2002, established Youth Speaks Seattle, originally modeled after Youth Speaks in San Francisco Bay Area, founded 1996. Housed and sponsored by historic Langston Hughes Theatre in Central District.

> 2003: Third Sundays Open Mics begin at Cafe Zeitgeist, Pioneer Square. Youth mentoring begins at Roosevelt High School, and Youth Speaks members have a presence at Franklin and Cleveland High Schools. Brave New Voices is held in April in Chicago, IL. Youth Speaks Seattle Team makes it to the final stage, where competition is eschewed in favor of the poetry.

> 2004-5: Third Sundays move to Cafe Allegro, University District and continue there to this day. Youth Speaks members and mentors begin to widen impact, reaching high schools, colleges, and other venues across Western Washington, from Bellingham to Tacoma. Awarded grant for workshops in 9 Seattle public high schools.

Brave New Voices 2004 is held in April in Los Angeles, CA. Youth Speaks Seattle Team again makes it to final stage, taking 5th place out of 28 teams. Brave New Voices 2005 is held in April San Francisco, CA. Youth Speaks Seattle Team is invited to feature at 2005 Grand Slam Finals. Featured at Burning Word Poetry Festival 2005.

> 2006: Youth Speaks members and mentors extend services to community organizations such as Seattle Young People's Project, Boys and Girls Club, and Powerful Voices, as well as urban middle schools and suburban high schools. Partner with local literary and arts venues such as Richard Hugo House and Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Brave New Voices 2006 is held in April in New York City. Seattle’s all-female team takes 4th place out of 40+ teams and performs on the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theatre.

> 2007: Host 1st ever YSS BBQ, Variety Shows, and Block Parties, featuring local spoken word, hip-hop, and music. Expand scope of workshop and performance services to include middle, high school, and college level as well as educators, youth in treatment centers and juvenile detention facilities. Reach students in Central Washington (Ellensburg/Yakima).

Add two additional slams to series, enabling nearly 50 youth to participate. Sell out entire series, with 500 in attendance at Grand Slam Finals (May). Brave New Voices 2007 is held in San Jose, CA. Host 1st ever Hip-Hop Period in November, now held on the last Saturday of the month at Hidmo. Youth Speaks Seattle alum Danny Sherrard wins 2007 Individual National Poetry Slam Champion and 2007 International Poetry Slam Champion titles and begins touring internationally.

> 2008: Youth Speaks Seattle leaves Langston Hughes and becomes fiscally sponsored by Shunpike in Oct. 2007. Weekly meetings are moved to Hidmo Eritrean Restaurant in Central District and writing circles to Miller Community Center on Capitol Hill. Events are held across the city, and YS representatives travel to numerous sites to increase access to our services. Over 600 Seattle area youth participate in workshops 2006-2008, and thousands of youth and adults have been audience to our spoken word and hip-hop performances.

A wildcard slam is added to the slam series. Brave New Voices 2008 is held during a sweltering July in Washington, D.C., months before the election. The youth let the politicians hear them with a protest-ival on the lawn across the street from the White House. Youth Speaks poets and mentors are invited to present their work in Anchorage, Alaska and surrounding areas in November of this year.

> Today: Youth Speaks Seattle mentors are teaching in South Lake, Rainier Beach, and Tyee High Schools, with additional mentors as Writers-In-Residence at Garfield, Ingraham, Chief Sealth and Foster High Schools through Seattle Arts and Lectures' Writers in the Schools Program. A partnership is forming with WAPIFASA (Washington Asian/Pacific Islander Families Against Substance Abuse), and writing circles began to be held there in January 2009.

Youth Speaks members will revisit Anchorage in April 2009 to assist with their development of a similar program. Brave New Voices 2009 will be held in Chicago, IL. Youth Speaks Seattle would like to host this fantastic festival in the next five years. For our wish list and how you can help, please visit our Support Page.