The Next Generation Can Speak for Itself

Young people are on the frontlines, often literally, of the world’s cultural and political battles. But rarely given opportunities to voice their unique perspectives, young people often disengage and feel isolated and alone. 

The people at Youth Speaks, founded in 1996 in San Francisco, have long understood these struggles. Sitting at the intersection of literary arts, narrative change, and youth development, Youth Speaks tackles these issues head-on by creating spaces that challenge young people – especially Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Pacific Islander, and those from working-class communities – to find, develop, and apply their voices as creators of societal change.

“Youth Speaks creates safe spaces where young people have the agency to declare their truth and turn those truths into plans of action,” says Hawah Kasat, Youth Speaks’ interim Executive Director. “The perspective that they bring as young people to societal issues, to their communities is often underestimated and overlooked. We see the power of these perspectives, and the possibilities we can achieve if we honor the voices of youth.” 

Youth Speaks has always been revolutionary: When they launched Brave New Voices in 1997, it was the nation’s first youth poetry slam, inspiring the creation of many other programs nationwide. Over the past 30 years, Youth Speaks has cultivated and sustained a national network of organizations where young people discover their power and their voice through storytelling, poetry, and civic engagement. “Youth Speaks’ presence in classrooms, assemblies, and out-of-school writing workshops goes beyond poets sharing poems. This is where civic engagement, literary arts, and arts education intersect to empower a new generation of storytellers and culture keepers,” says Bijou McDaniel, Director of Digital Pedagogy and Communications at Youth Speaks. 

Youth Speaks has a 30-year track record of breaking new ground: Offering trailblazing, resonant programs like their Writing Workshops, Under 21 Open Mic events, Teen Poetry Slam, and their flagship summer program, Brave New Voices – now a premier four-day nationwide festival for youth, ages 13-19, that encompasses poetry and spoken word performances, workshops, and civic action – Youth Speaks provides a safe community where all are welcome and youth voices are valued.

Building on these decades of success, in 2024, Youth Speaks launched Power Lab, which brings together youth, organizers, industry experts, and community leaders to leverage the power of culture to influence policy, combat misinformation, and heal civic trauma. Through this work, they have successfully created campaigns that shape public life on issues including racial justice, public health,
and climate change.

“For the youth in our programs, poetry is often just the starting point. It is the vehicle through which they discover, practice, and grow the power of their own voices,” says McDaniel. “When young people claim that power, when they are connected and supported through communities of care, there is no limit to the possibilities of what they can create.”