The Next Generation Speaks for Itself – SF Youth Speaks
Highlighting Youth Speaks’ incredible nonprofit work in the arts & amplifying youth voices + an interview with their Communications Associate, Bridgette Yang
As a part of my Poetry Month escapades in April, I was fortunate enough to attend the Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam Final in San Francisco. I was invited by Bridgette Yang, their Communications Associate, and it was CRAZY. I drove all the way to the Bay just to see them for the night, and it was so worth it. These kids are SO talented, and their performances blew me away.
They embodied such bravery, vulnerability, knowledge of themselves, and so much power.
Power in their voices, in their lived experience, in themselves.
Youth from all over the Bay had competed to become a finalist that night. The highest scoring finalists are going on to represent the Bay Area at Brave New Voices, a 4-day international youth poetry festival–the only one of its kind in the world–celebrating “arts education, performance, and civic engagement.” This year’s Brave New Voices is being held in Madison, Wisconsin from July 16th-19th, and tickets are available now.
The night’s program and finalists
While at the event, I learned more about Youth Speaks and the work they do. I actually began crying in the theater as they played videos illustrating their different programs. I wanted to highlight some of them here because I genuinely love their work, their commitment, and the principles under which they operate! What they do is so, so important.
Here is an introduction about them, from their own website:
“Founded in 1996 in San Francisco, Youth Speaks is an organization that promotes young voices through local and national youth poetry slams, festivals and more. They offer a comprehensive slate of literary arts education programs and provide numerous opportunities for youth to be published and heard. They are a leading presenter of Spoken Word performances, education and youth development programs, and have worked with hundreds of thousands of youth, helping create partner programs in 47 cities across the U.S.”
They have a plethora of incredible programs: Brave New Voices (which I grew up watching on YouTube), Power Lab (that brings together passionate young artists for collaborative narrative change projects), Individual Artist Fellowships, The Backyard Conference summer camp, MC Olympics, Writing Workshops, Open Mics, etc.
One of them, The Bigger Picture, aims to use art to tackle health disparities, acknowledging the societal conditions that create disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. Its focus originally began in addressing the myriad of ways structural violence impacts disproportionate diagnoses of Type 2 Diabetes, but has since expanded to pandemics, climate change, police violence, etc., understanding how all these conditions are interrelated due to structurally violent environments built through centering racism and classism. They focus on using voices as instruments of change to help protect the health of BIPOC and working-class communities that are most targeted.
Most of their programs, like the Teen Poetry Slam, focus on spoken word and the importance of young voices. This is highlighted all over their website:
“We envision a world in which young people are heard, honored and connected through creative ecosystems of interdependence and care.”
“Literacy is a need, not a want, and literacy comes in various forms.”
“The Voices of Youth Matter: We create spaces that challenge youth to develop and amplify their voices as creators of societal change.”
Most strikingly, the website’s front page reads:
“The next generation speaks for itself.”
It was a night packed with powerful performances from every teen on the stage. Their stories astounded me; the clarity with which they expressed themselves left me in awe. They spoke unflinchingly of their experiences as queer, as female, as racialized individuals, and as human beings subject to our healthcare system. They all spoke of their lived traumas with insurmountable courage.
The night left me so inspired and proud to be part of a generation that strives to use their voices and their art to create collective safety, community, and wellbeing without exception. I am thankful for the individuals committed to uplifting these incredible youth in their potential and power.
After marvelling at the talent of these young poets, I was able to interview Bridgette Yang, who invited me to the event. I wanted to learn more about Bridgette’s work with Youth Speaks, and her connection to poetry. You can read our interview below:
First off, thank you for your time and all your work at Youth Speaks. I think everything you guys are committed to is truly incredible. Can you tell me more about what work you do with these amazing youths and what propelled you into working with them?
Working at Youth Speaks truly doesn’t feel like a job but a privilege. I’m the Communications Associate, and a large part of my job is managing our social media! We have three social media pages (@youthspeaks, @bravenewvoices, and @powerlab.global), but I mainly manage the first two. I film and edit videos, write captions, and plan social strategy.
Bridgette Yang, poet, filmmaker & SF Youth Speak’s Communication Associate
I’ve actually been a fan of Youth Speaks for almost 10 years. When I was a freshman in high school, I would watch Brave New Voices videos in my bedroom all the time. I wanted to plug into Youth Speaks, but I lived in Los Angeles. So I joined GetLit, another literary non-profit that amplifies young voices through spoken word. I ended up competing in Brave New Voices [during] my senior [year] of high school as a part of the Los Angeles team, thinking that was the biggest “full-circle” moment I was going to get in the Youth Speaks realm.
Then I went to college in San Francisco. Shortly after graduating, an internship at Youth Speaks opened up. I jumped at the opportunity and was blessed enough to receive the position. Three years later, I’m on their full-time staff and wake up every day feeling so grateful to land my first “big girl job” at a place I’ve adored since I was a teen.
Youth Speaks highlights poetry and slam as tools for social change. Why do you think both are so connected to one another, and how do you think this is accomplished?
I believe poetry is such a powerful tool in enacting social change because it teaches the writer that their voice is important. Poetry helps you confront, reflect, and express your internal and external world. If you don’t have a sense of self, if you don’t know where you’ve been and where you’re going, how are you supposed to know what side of history you want to stand on?
Slam specifically is really moving in the way it can bring a group of people to share a collective energy.
Social change is built on a collective effort, and spoken word spaces teach people that they are not as alone as they feel.
Why do you think amplifying young, creative voices in particular is so crucial?
The youth are our future. They bring hope, energy, and a hunger for change so incredibly necessary in dismantling the harmful structures and practices that govern our society. There shouldn’t be a minimum age one needs to wait for in order to speak up.
The sooner we start teaching them their voices matter, the sooner they [will] believe they have the power to strengthen the revolution.
What has personally struck you the most through your work with Youth Speaks?
Seeing the youth gain confidence over time will never not amaze me! I have seen youth go from barely making eye contact at their first open mic to becoming a top-scoring finalist at a slam just a few months later. Time and time again, I [am] reminded of how important it is for a young person to feel heard and seen. It reminds me of my own journey as a spoken word poet, and gets me emotional every time! I feel like I’m often helping a younger version of myself [by] being in these spaces, and I know my coworkers feel the same. It truly is a blessing to not just help the youth find their voice, but also work with other passionate artists who believe so deeply in a brighter future.
You can find Bridgette’s directorial work and poetry at her website. Learn more about Youth Speaks and its branches in an area near you, as well as ways you can support their incredible programs.
