Brave New Voices
The 2023 Festival is a three-day in-person celebration taking place in San Francisco Bay Area. Fill out the 2023 Brave New Voices team interest form if you would like to attend the festival.
Registration
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June 6, 2023: Waitlisted Teams will begin to be informed of additional acceptances
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June 15, 2023, 1-2pm PST: Mandatory Coaches and Chaperones Meeting. Contact info@bravenewvoices.org for the link
Schedule
The Brave New Voices Festival is free to attend but spots are LIMITED and registration is required.
Thursday • July 20
Friday • July 21
Youth workshops are open to any participants aged 13-19 years old. Registration is required for all Brave New Voices festival participants and local youth attendees.
The Brave New Voices Festival is free to attend but spots are LIMITED and registration is required.
Poster Making and Visual Storytelling for Climate Justice, with Favianna Rodriguez
Favianna Rodriguez popularized the image of the butterfly as a celebration of how it is natural to migrate and it has become a powerful tool for fighting against the unnatural violence that is borders. Let us learn at the table of this incredible artist, activist, and organizer and create posters of our own to move the needle toward humanity.
The Poet’s Role in 50 Years of Hip Hop
What is the role of the artist — especially the emcee — when equity and stories of liberation are under attack? How do we create texts that can't be burned? That are already one with the air? And make the crowd nod in agreement? Join us in getting your bars up, and learning how to emcee in the hip-hop tradition as we celebrate 50 years of one of the most powerful youth movements in the world. This session will be led by Sin Q and the First Wave Program from the University of Madison, Wisconsin.
Ballrooming towards a world in which trans people are celebrated and protected
Queer, trans, and non-binary artists have been finding ways to celebrate their identities in ways that have shifted mainstream music, TV, laws, culture, and more. The nucleus of this art movement is the ballroom. Let's return to our roots in this session where you will learn to move and dance for queer and trans liberation.
Who gets to vote? The Poet’s Role in Prison Reform and Abolition with the Ella Baker Center
There are a set of stories that allow people who are imprisoned to be treated as less human than others. How do we attack these stories at their root in alignment with activists and organizers doing necessary work on the ground advocating for prison reform and abolition? Join us in activating our powers as writers and performers advocating for policy change, and supporting activists in restoring the right of imprisoned people to vote.
The Poet's Role in Reproductive Justice and Protecting the Right to Choose, after Roe v.s. Wade
The rights and bodily autonomy of people who can get pregnant are under attack. How do we fight back against 50+ years of coordinated narrative and legal strategy and reclaim our bodies and our stories? Join this session to put pen to page in solidarity with the activists and organizers fighting for choice in a world post-Roe v.s. Wade.
The Poet's Role in Mental Health and Reclaiming Our Attention
In her novel, “How to Do Nothing,” Jenny Odell writes, "The point of doing nothing, as I define it, isn’t to return to work refreshed and ready to be more productive, but rather to question what we currently perceive as productive." Let’s use this as a jumping-off point for talking about our current youth mental health crisis on a systemic level, using our voices to reclaim our mental and emotional well-being, while we challenge capitalism, the social media companies, the 24/7 news cycles, and more designed to keep us in despair.
Brave New Leaders
A free professional development training led by Youth Speaks exclusively for adults aged 21+, educators, librarians, organizers, after-school coordinators, and other culture keepers that work directly with youth. Join the greatest educators from throughout the Brave New Voices network in discussing strategies and possibilities for building youth narrative power with your students all year round.
Bending Light: A Brave New Voices Showcase
Some stories are so powerful, we forget they are stories at all. They become the air, the water, the culture mediating what is and what we imagine to be possible. This is where the poet gets to work. Join us for an intergenerational showcase celebrating artists at the forefront of youth narrative power, featuring artists and alums from the Brave New Voices network, demonstrating how the artist doesn't just flip the script, they bend the light.
Saturday • July 22
Kick-off 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.
Space is limited and on a first come first serve basis. Audience members are encouraged to move into additional semis bouts if spaces are at capacity
The Brave New Voices Festival is free to attend but spots are LIMITED and registration is required.
FAQ
Below are Frequently Asked Questions about this year’s registration deadlines, fees, chaperone requirements, and schedule of events. Please look through this section if you have any questions about the process.
Note: This page will be updated frequently and will be your go-to resource for all Brave New Voices Festival updates, resources, events, and announcements.
The organizers of the Brave New Voices (BNV) Festival pledge our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive and accessible spaces that are safe for the minds and bodies of all youth participants and festival attendees.
As we share Festival activities, logistics, and As we share Festival activities, logistics, and other announcements over the next few months, we encourage you and your teams to visit this page frequently for the full Brave New Voices Festival Safety and Wellness policies.
All Brave New Voices (BNV) events, workshops, and slams will be hosted in beautiful, eccentric, and historic arts & culture venues across San Francisco, California.
Arrival
Welcome and registration will take place Thursday, July 20, 2023, from 1 PM - 5 PM. All participating teams (competing and non-competing) should plan to arrive in San Francisco for the Festival registration between 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM on July 20th. Room Check-in time when you may access your rooms is 3 pm.
Departure
Teams should plan on departing from their accommodations in San Francisco by 11:00 AM on Sunday, July 23, 2023. The Brave New Voices Grand Slam Finals will be held Saturday, July 22, 2023, in San Francisco.
Step 1: Submit a Brave New Voices 2023 Interest Form on behalf of your organization/team/group by March 31, 2023.
All competing and non-competing teams who wish to participate in the Brave New Voices Festival should submit a Brave New Voices team interest form as an organization. This is required for all new and returning teams that want to participate in Brave New Voices.
Step 2: Receive confirmation and notification of participation at BNV.
Teams/organizations/groups that have submitted a BVN Interest Form will be considered for participation in the Festival. If your organization is not already a part of the BNV Network, the Brave New Voices Planning Committee will contact you with information on how to formally join the BNV Network including details about theFestival by April 2023.
Step 3: Participating teams/organizations/groups complete Brave New Voices (BNV) Team Registration.
The festival can accommodate up to 20 teams/organizations/groups to participate in three days of workshops, activities, slams, and special events in San Francisco, CA. Completing an interest form for your organizations and/or group will help determine eligibility and participation at the Brave New Voices Festival.
Registration consists of two parts:
1) Online Enrollment
AND
2) Online Payment
Payment
The cost to attend Brave New Voices is $3,000 this year. The Festival fee covers registration for four (4) youth participants and two (2) adult chaperones (including a team coach and/or organizational staff). Registration fees are outlined below and are pro-rated according to the organizational budget of the applicant team. Youth Speaks continues to subsidize a large portion of Festival costs for all attendees. Please see below for more information.
Adult Chaperones Requirements
The Festival requires an adult-to-youth participant ratio of one (1) to four (4). Adult coaches, organizational staff and chaperones must be ages 21+.
- A team of four (4) youth ages 13-19 must include at least one (1) adult 21 years of age or older.
- A team of five to six (5-6) youth ages 13-19 MUST include two (2) adult chaperones 21 years of age or older.
Additional Youth and/or Adult-Chaperones
A fee of $500 per person will be included in registration fees for organizations that would like to bring additional youth participants (ages 13-19) and/or adult chaperones/staff to attend the Brave New Voices Festival. Each team/organization/group is required to maintain a ratio of one (1) adult staff member aged 21+ that is responsible for every group of (4) youth participants ages 13-19. Youth participants include anyone aged 19 and under. Adult coaches, organizational staff, and chaperones must be aged 21 or over.
Fees: Non-Competing Teams, Organizations, Groups
Fees for non-competing teams and entourage are $500 per person. Non-competing teams may bring up to five (5) participants. Non-competing teams must abide by the same one (1) to four (4) adult-to-youth ratio policy.
**Payment for BNV is due at the time of registration. Deadline to register is 6PM PT | 7PM MT | 8 PM CT | 9 PM ET Tuesday, May 16, 2023.**
Once we receive your application and confirm your participation, each team is required to fill out enrollment forms for each team member who will attend Brave New Voices. Below is the information you are expected to have when filling out the enrollment forms for each youth and adult member of your team:
- Personal/Individual Information including basic demographic information, contact information, social media, and a photo for identification.
- Team Information including names of coach/chaperone, including demographic information.
- Medical Information including emergency contact information, general medical history, allergies/dietary needs (if applicable for live interaction), and health insurance information (optional) and disability access information.
- Forms to be signed: Permission form (for participants under age 18), Media Release form, BNV Standards and Behavior form, and Background check (any participant over 18 including chaperones and coaches). Please note that the Coaches Code of Conduct will be handed out at the mandatory Coaches Webinar, happening on a date TBD.
- COVID-19 Waiver includes the release of liability, and understanding of COVID-19 regulations for participants and adult mentors.
- Mandated Reporter Training For all Chaperones and Coaches. Information for free California state training will be shared with participating teams but can also be found here.
- Also, all accepted team coaches and chaperones will be required to participate in a brief training required by Brave New Voices for orientation on Slams, Festival Participation, and Mental Health and Safety.
**You will not be allowed to attend the festival if these forms are not filled out. The forms are necessary for the general safety of participants during the festival.**
Registration fees will cover:
- All-access festival pass to attend workshops, town halls, late night events, slams and special public events during Brave New Voices
- Housing & accommodations for four (4) youth and up to two (2) adult chaperones for the length of the Festival (3 nights / 3 days)
- Six (6) meals for four (4) youth and up to two (2) adult chaperones for the length of the Festival.
Youth Speaks will cover the following meals for Brave New Voices participants:
Thursday, July 20
- Welcome Dinner
Friday, July 21
- Team Breakfast
- Team Lunch
Saturday, July 22
- Team Breakfast
- Team Lunch
Sunday, July 23
- Grab & Go Breakfast
All-access festival pass to attend workshops, town halls, late night events, slams and special public events during Brave New Voices
Teams are responsible for covering the following meals:
- July 20 travel meals (dinner provided)
- July 21 dinner for team (breakfast and lunch provided)
- July 22 travel meals for team (breakfast and lunch provided)
- July 23 travel meals (grab & go breakfast provided)
*All snacks and incidentals
Yes, for participants 18 and over a background check is required. Our festival defines youth as being between the ages of 13-19. If you are age 18 and up, you are required to have a background check as you are considered an adult according to state and federal policy.
Youth Speaks is not responsible for maintaining these records beyond the Festival. Teams, organizations, groups and individuals are responsible for keeping a copy for their own records.
The process will be different for each state. The general guidance is to find either an independent contractor for the background check process or seeing if your state/Attorney General has a way to get background checks done. We recommend searching online for a background check, fingerprinting, Live Scan services, etc near you for the most accurate local information. See below for background check resources.
Will it cost to get a background check for our chaperones? More than likely, you will need to pay to get this done. Organizations, teams and groups may have local offices that can assist with this as well. In addition, school-approved letters work as well. (The executive director, chief executive officer/president or Board of Directors’ chair(s) of an organization or group can send a letter on a current letter-head clearing chaperones or coaches as long as that person works for the organization and has been cleared already to work with youth through a fingerprinting/ background check process within that organization and state.
Do parents need background checks, if they are chaperones? Anyone else outside of your organizations or any who is not an adult staff/employee will need individual background checks submitted. Here are resources to help your team get a background check:
- Checkr.com (nation-wide)
- Live Scan (California organizations only)
- Investopedia.com
- 9 Background Check Sites
Yes. Teams will participate in mandatory online wellness and safety trainings and Brave New Voices (BNV) National Networking events in the months leading up to July 20. Specific dates and times will be determined and shared once all teams have completed the BNV 2023 Team Interest Form. The deadline to submit your organization’s Interest Form is March 31, 2023.
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.
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)