current Projects

The Root Slam - The Root Slam is an open mic and poetry slam at MLK Cafe in Oakland. It happens every 3rd Friday and offers a writing workshop every 2nd & 4th Saturday for new and experienced writers alike. The Root Slam is FREE and open to all folks ages 18+.

Past Projects

Write Home - Write Home makes creative spaces for homeless youth in Berkeley and serves to shift public perceptions of youth homelessness through writing workshops, open mics, town halls, and multimedia projects.

Brave New Voices - The Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, powered by Youth Speaks, is the only festival of its kind. Every year, over 500 young poets, their mentors, and the nation’s leading artists and cultural workers convene in a different U.S. city for 4-5 days of arts education, artistic expression, and civic engagement.

The Bigger Picture Campaign - The Bigger Picture (a partnership between Youth Speaks and UCSF’s Center for Vulnerable Populations) inspires young people to change the conversation about Type 2 diabetes by exposing the environmental and social conditions that lead to its spread.

Raise Up - The Raise Up Project was a collaboration between Youth Speaks and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to amplify youth voices advocating for educational equity through a national hip hop and poetry contest.