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JULY 17-20 • WASHINGTON D.C.
Join us for the biggest youth poetry festival of its kind
Femme..is NOW
This year's Brave New Voices theme — Femme is Now– is a gentle yet urgent reminder of the power of femininity. It is a call to action, a call to organize a call to dream, and a call to uplift each and every femme in each and every corner of this work.
This year we celebrate femmes while simultaneously honoring the life and legacy of former Brave New Voices Festival Co-Director and master brave space keeper, the legendary Cydney M. Edwards, whose last social media post uplifted an inspiring quote from Ntzake Shange, “Where there is a woman, there is magic.”
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Honoring Cydney M. Edwards
Cydney was a tremendous artist, Associate Director at the University of Madison, Wisconsin’s Office of Multicultural Arts Initiative, Program Director of The Miami-Dade Urban Debate League, Education Associate with Young Chicago Authors, youth poet of Chicago’s Kuumba Lynx programs, and immeasurable source of light who embodied everything we love about this work.
As an organization, there will never be enough words, poems or lifetimes to fully convey who Cydney was to our movement or what she meant to generations of Brave New Voices youth. She was the best of us — a light in moments when the candle of the world felt close to burning out. She loved Chicago so much that she made sure to weave her Chi-town roots with art and youth voice organizations wherever she went: from Maui to Florida, Madison to the Bay, and everywhere in between.
Schedule
4 Days of Poetry
Join us for workshops, town halls, showcases, parties, & poetry slams. Brave New Voices is free but spots are LIMITED and registration is required.
Day 1 • Wednesday • July 17
Day 2 • Thursday • July 18
Day 3 • Friday • July 19
Studio Theatre - 1501 14th Street Northwest Studio Theatre Washington, DC 20005
The top 4 competing teams will advance to the Brave New Voices Finals where they will compete for the title of 2024 Brave New Voices Slam Champion.
Studio Theatre - 1501 14th Street Northwest Studio Theatre Washington, DC 20005
The top 4 competing teams will advance to the Brave New Voices Finals where they will compete for the title of 2024 Brave New Voices Slam Champion. Close out day three of the Brave New Voices Festival by cheering on 20 of the best youth poetry teams from around the globe in our annual slam poetry competition. The top finalists will advance to the Brave New Voices Finals where they will compete for the title of 2023 Slam Champion. In 1996, Youth Speaks started a movement that has since bloomed some of the most important young artists of our time. Many of your favorite rappers and Tony Award-winning actors, screenwriters, activists, organizers, and of course, poets, got their start here at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam.
Watch the Legends of Poetry Concert on July 19th at 8pm EST via LIVE STREAM.
Hosted by Youth Speaks, Inc. and Brave New Voices, come experience an exclusive evening of performance and conversation with legendary artists who brought spoken word poetry to the masses. From Hip Hop theater to Def Poetry to the White House, join us as these architects, trailblazers, trouble-makers of the poetic tradition read their most popular poems and retell the histories of how their words catalyzed a global movement known as Brave New Voices.
Featuring: Mayda del Valle, Beau Sia, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Yellow Rage, Sonya Renee Taylor, aja monet, Mahogany Brown, Jasmine Mans and a special surprise guest.
Day 4 • Saturday • July 20
Festival Directors
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Future Corps Directors
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Future Corps
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Safety & Mental Health Team
The emotional, and physical safety of our youth and all festival participants is paramount to us, and we are working hard to ensure this virtual festival is as fun as it is safe and accessible.
It is our top priority to create a Brave New Voices experience where our community can participate at their fullest potential. Throughout the Festival, the Brave New Voices Safety Team and Mental Health Coordinators will be on call (text and/or call) to offer one-on-one support for poets, coaches, and mentors.
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COVID-19 POLICY
As we continue to explore new opportunities to gather and build community within an ever-changing world, here is an update on the ways we will continue to gather and remain accountable to your COVID-19 safety at Brave New Voices. Failure to follow the guidance below will result in immediate disqualification from the festival.
- 1 WEEK BEFORE: Limit exposure
- DAY 1: Take a test before getting on the plane
- DAY 2 AND ONWARD: Test before breakfast
- Public Events (Finals, workshops, etc.): Masking is encouraged
- Youth-Only Events: Masking is optional
- On-Stage Performers: Masking is optional
- Generally: Masks are optional and encouraged for Festival activities but not mandatory.
- Performers who have completed a rapid test each day are not required to wear masks on stage.
- If you test positive, you must remain masked during the entirety of the festival.
Youth Speaks’s Isolation Plan is as follows
Hotel Isolation with check-ins:- Team members, coaches, and entourage members that test positive will need to isolate. Youth Speaks has set aside 3 rooms in the event COVID-19 isolation is needed.
- Virtual attendance options are available, when broadcasting is planned please refer to BNV Insiders Guide for more information
- If a youth tests positive, at least one team chaperone will be required to monitor and support team members that test positive at BNV housing and plan for bringing the team member food.
- at least 48 hours after both their symptoms have subsided and no longer have a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
- The person will need to remain masked for the duration of the festival and is not allowed to perform on stage.
Please contact Youth Speaks’ COVID Liaison Team at covid@youthspeaks.org to let us know if you have received a positive COVID test within 3 days of attending the Brave New Voices Festival.
If you do not see your question answered here or if you have a question more specific to your team regarding registration, please email our Brave New Voice Committee at info@bravenewvoices.org. Please be aware that this page will be updated frequently.
Emergency Contacts: Michelle "Mush" Lee (mlee@youthspeaks.org) and Stephaine Cajina (scajina@youthspeaks.org)
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What We Are Looking For
Volunteer roles will include support such as:
- Setup
- Checking attendees through Eventbrite
- Setting up food & snacks
- Breaking down tables and equipment
Volunteer shifts are available at various times throughout the Festival: July 17 - 20, 2024
GENERAL VOLUNTEERS (non-mental health): To view specific shifts and sign up to volunteer please complete this form
MENTAL HEALTH VOLUNTEERS: To view specific shifts and sign up to volunteer please complete this form
For questions and more information contact: volunteers@youthspeaks.org