From: Young Chicago Authors
Contact: Lenna Scott
Chicago, IL
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BRAVE NEW VOICES ARE SPEAKING OUT
CNA Foundation Presents
The 6th Annual National Youth Poetry Festival
Chicago April 2003 - The power of the spoken word will be on display
April 25-27 in Chicago as more than 200 young poets from 25 cities
compete for the National youth Poetry Slam Title. These top poets, ages
13-19, have worked for months to develop high quality poetry to share
with their peers and a larger audience.
The slam, hosted by the Young Chicago Authors, is an Olympic-style
poetry contest that uses friendly competition as a tool or "hook" to
gather the best and brightest young writers into a safe space for
community building, education and youth empowerment. Co-sponsored by
the Glencoe Study Center, Youth Speaks, Kraft Cares, Chicago Public
Radio, Chicago Historical Society, Hostelling International-Chicago,
Latino Cultural Center, Poets & Writers, and Guild Complex, Brave New
Voices is giving voice to a generation of young people.
"Our country is in a time of uncertainty, poetry helps young and old
alike express their feelings in a safe environment. Poetry builds
bridges and makes connections across diverse ethnic, racial, political
and socio-economic lines. " says Marlon Esguerra, Young Chicago Authors
program co-coordinator and educator. "Brave New Voices gathers,
educates and showcases talented, dedicated and courageous young writers
from across the country."
Twenty-four teams are scheduled to participate in this year's events.
Teams consisting of 4-6 poets, ages 13-19 years old, will perform
original individual and group works 3 minutes in length. Each team will
compete in two preliminary bouts that will be judged by a mixed panel of
poets, adults and young people. Four teams will advance to the finals
on April 26, 7-10pm, at the Museum of Science and Industry.
Participating teams from the Chicago area include: Gwendolyn Brooks
Center - Chicago, WordWide, and an All-Star team comprised of individual
winners from "Louder Than a Bomb," the Chicago Teen Poetry Slam. In
addition teams from: San Francisco; Los Angeles; New York; Washington,
D.C.; Seattle, WA; Ann Arbor, MI; Detroit, MI; Ypsilanti, MI; Plymouth,
MI; Plymouth, MA; Taos, NM; Chico, CA; Burlington, VT; Austin, TX; El
Centro, CA; Providence, RI; PEN WEST; Connecticut;
Pittsburgh, PA;
South Texas; Tulsa, OK and the Navajo Nation will be participating.
The Poetry Slam was created in 1985 by Chicago native, Marc Smith, and
popularized by the Uptown Poetry Slam at the world famous Green Mill
Jazz Club.
"Although the slam is a competitive event, competition is de-emphasized
and commitment to craft and growth in the writer and person are
encouraged," says Esguerra. "To that end, we are also hosting a number
of workshops and a unique improvisational poetry program called
'Crossing The Street' designed to be a non-competitive creative forum."
In addition, the Brave New Voices schedule also includes a special
performance, Native Tongues, featuring readings and performances by
Chicago-related national poetry figures including: Marc Smith, Reggie
Gibson, I Was Born With Two Tongues, Brenda Cardenas, Kevin Coval,
Robert Karimi, Amina, Avery R. Young, Theaster G, Ugochi Nwaogwugwu,
Mango Tribe and the hip-hop crew Typical Cats.
Founded in 1991, by Dr. Robert Boone, Young Chicago Authors is a
501(c)(3), non-profit organization, whose mission is to encourage
self-expression and literacy among Chicago's youth through writing and
performance. YCA provides creative writing courses and performance
forums, free to youth aged 13-19, as well as services that aid educators
in promoting creative writing within the schools. YCA can be reached at
773-486-4331 ext. 2.
Media is encouraged to attend.
EVENT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY APRIL 25
Workshop I & II and Panel Discussion I, 9-10am
HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL - CHICAGO
The J. Ira & Nicki Harris Family Hostel, 24 East Congress Parkway
Semi-finals National Youth Poetry Slam, 11am-7pm
The Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue
Semi-final Bouts 1 and 2, 11am - 12:30pm
Semi-final Bouts 3 and 4, 1 - 2:30pm
Semi-final Bouts 5 and 6, 3 - 4:30pm
Semi-final Bouts 7 and 8, 5 - 7pm
Native Tongues, 8-10:30pm
The Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue
Home to Gwendolyn Brooks and Carl Sandburg, Chicago's literary tradition
is rich. The birthplace of Poetry Slam, and cradle to a thriving youth
and adult writing community whose influences range from traditional
verse to the contemporary aesthetics of hip-hop poetics. In the literary
world, Chicago is as diverse and colorful as its 77 neighborhoods.
Tonight, the city of big shoulders offers some of the most prolific and
gifted writers living within its canon. A reading and performance will
feature national figures Reggie Gibson, Marc Smith (founder of Poetry
Slam), I Was Born With Two Tongues, Brenda Cardenas, Kevin Coval, Robert
Karimi, Amina, Avery R. Young, Theaster G, Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, and the
hip-hop crew Typical Cats.
SATURDAY APRIL 26
Workshop III & IV and Panel Discussion II, 9-10am
HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL - CHICAGO
The J. Ira & Nicki Harris Family Hostel, 24 East Congress Parkway
Semi-finals National Youth Poetry Slam, 11am-4:30pm
Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
Semi-finals Bouts 9 and 10, 11am - 12:30pm
Semi-finals Bouts 11 and 12, 1 - 2:30pm
Finalists and showcase performers will be announced by 3pm.
Finals, The National Youth Poetry Slam, 7-10pm
Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
The culminating event of the weekend will provide an opportunity to
showcase some of the most talented young writers in America in a one
thousand-seat theater. Four teams will qualify to compete on Finals
stage and Slam against each other, hoping to bring bragging rights and
The National Youth Poetry Slam Championship back to their hometown. An
audience of all ages and ethnicities, from all over Chicago-land, will
witness four rounds of poetic jousting. In Chicago, the last Saturday of
April will be hot- even if it snows.
All workshops and panel discussions are free and open to teens ages
13-19.
Semi-finals: $3 per bout
Native Tongues: $10 adult / $5 student
Finals: $10 adult / $5 student
Weekend pass (includes finals): $15 adult / $10 students
Call 773.486.4331 to reserve tickets and for group rate information.
---------------------
Marlon Esguerra
Young Chicago Authors
2049 W. Division
Chicago, IL 60622
773.486.4331 w
marlon@2tongues.com
---------------------
|