Niema Jordan loves Youth Speaks

By Venus Zine Staff
Published: April 7th, 2008 | 12:00am

It is slam season. A time when thousands step to the microphone and articulate the ins and outs of life in about 3 minutes only to have their emotions validated (or not) by a score card. Seems a bit harsh, but these intensely passionate spoken word competitions have inspired many to embrace poetry on a new level.

Organizations like Youth Speaks have made the dynamic artform a reality for teens across the nation. Started in 1996, Youth Speaks has been home to young performers around the Bay Area, and with the powerful slogan “Because the next generation can speak for itself,” the organization has impacted tons of students on a national level as well with programs in 36 cities including Seattle and New York.

I must admit I have a bias because the organization was my introduction to slam and taught me poetry as a craft and not just a hobby. But who wouldn’t fall in love with an organization that “challenge[s] youth to find, develop, publicly present, and apply their voices as creators of social change"?

Neima Jordan is a Venus Zine editorial intern.