For 29 years, Youth Speaks has created safe spaces that challenge young people, especially those from communities where opportunities for creative expression have been historically and systemically eliminated, to find, develop and apply their voices as creators of societal change.

Founded in 1996 in San Francisco, Youth Speaks is a leading presenter of Spoken Word performance, education, and creative youth development programs. Trailblazers of local and national youth poetry slams and festivals, and a leading presenter of Spoken Word performance, education, and creative youth development programs, Youth Speaks has helped create partner programs in 47 cities across the United States.

As the founder and lead convenor of the Brave New Voices Festival and Brave New Futures Network, Youth Speaks has significantly invested in the entire field of literary performance programs that intersect arts education, youth development and public narrative practices.

Youth Speaks created even more opportunities for BIPOC artists at the intersection of arts and culture, ancestral and indigenous practices, and multi-racial movement work to be networked as we were selected to be a California Arts Council Administering Organization for Individual Artists Fellows. Through this initiative, Youth Speaks convened over 500 Artists in webinars and learning sessions over 3 months, completed an application process, reviewed applications for over 1,000 prospective grantees, and led a rigorous schedule of Professional Development for the Artist Grantees.