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.
Issue #24
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