DC Youth Poetry Slam Team
Split This Rock is proud to sponsor the DC Youth Slam Team as part of our commitment to fostering the voices of DC youth. Focused on community organizing and authenticity in our art, the DC Youth Slam Team performs at national competitions such as Brave New Voices and in local shows with partnering community or school groups. The DC Youth Slam Team is co-sponsored by Busboys and Poets, The Fridge, and the Beltway Poetry Slam, hosting weekly writing workshops and monthly youth open mics and slams. Open to all high school students in the DC metropolitan area, the DC Youth Slam Team is bringing the Louder Than A Bomb High School Poetry Slam Festival to the district in spring 2012. Schools or students interested in being part of LTAB-DMV should email us at slam@splitthisrock.org. Slam team coaches and teaching artists, Pages Matam, YaYa Bey, and Jonathan B. Tucker, are available to perform, lead workshops, and help organize poetry slam teams with your school or community group. Current schools they work with include: Ballou Senior High, Bell Multicultural High, Capital City Public Charter School, Coolidge Senior High, and teams are starting soon at Eastern High, Dunbar High, and H.D. Woodson. DC Youth Slam Team 2012
Louder Than a Bomb: February 24 at The DunesPoetry / Drinks / Music / Food / Film / Silent Auction Benevolent Media presents Louder Than a Bomb, a fundraiser party to benefit Split This Rock and the DC Youth Slam Team in Washington, D.C. Join us at The Dunes for a special evening featuring live performances by D.C.’s best and brightest young poets, plus excerpts from Louder Than a Bomb, an award-winning documentary about the world’s largest teen poetry slam based out of Chicago. Funds raised will help stage the first-ever Louder Than A Bomb High School Poetry Slam Festival in the District in June 2012. A silent auction will feature poetry chapbooks produced by the DC Youth Slam Team, plus the chance to hire poets to lead private workshops or performances. Locally sourced frozen treats, including a custom-crafted “Bomb Pop,” will be provided by Pleasant Pops.
Friday, February 24, 7-10 pm Space is limited—get tickets soon on Eventbrite Upcoming Semi-finalsThe qualifying teen poets from this year's slams compete to make it to the grand slam finals. Only the top ten make it on to finals. Come cheer for your favorite poet and boo at the judges for not giving them the scores they deserve. More details on Facebook, or email slam@splitthisrock.org. Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 5-7 p.m., National Portrait Gallery, 8th & F Streets NW (Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro) Featuring Former DC Youth Slam Team Champion Jinahie Jinahie (“my wings” in Arabic) is an extraordinarily gifted, 19-year-old, Egyptian-American spoken word poet hailing from DC who has quickly become one of the region’s finest poets and highly sought-after performers. Since 2008, Jinahie has competed in HBO’s Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam documentary series, produced by Russell Simmons and narrated by Queen Latifah. She has had the unique opportunity to share the stage with Grammy-nominated artists such as John Mayer, Common, Smokey Robinson, The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Ledisi; highly prolific artists such as and Gil Scott-Heron and the Last Poets; and countless Def Jam poets including Beau Sia, Rafael Casal, and The Universes. In addition, she has graced some of the most revered stages, such as the Nokia Theater, the Kennedy Center ,and the Lincoln Theater, as well as feature spots on BET’s Lyric Cafe.
Weekly Writing and Performance Workshops
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Coaches
HADAIYAH "YA-YA" BEY is an award winning poet living in the DC area. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Ya-Ya is an unassuming fire-baller who surprises her listeners with her captivating stories of struggle and love. Very outspoken about the ills of society and her Bajan heritage Ya-Ya lives the poems she performs. |
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 JONATHAN B. TUCKER is a performance poet, facilitator, youth worker/advocate,
community organizer and coach of the DC Youth Slam Team. He uses performance
art to start conversations about social justice issues, focusing his efforts primarily
on engaging and supporting young artists and activists in the DC/MD/VA area. He
has led high school students on year-long journeys with Operation Understanding
DC, exploring cross-cultural dialogue and traveling down south to study the Civil
Rights Movement. He is currently a grantee with the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities’ Young Artists Program, using spoken word poetry as a vehicle for
peer education around HIV/AIDS with a group from Children’s Hospital called
Teens Against the Spread of AIDS. Jonathan also works with Teaching for Change
and regularly hosts open mics and slams at Busboys and Poets, BloomBars,
The Fridge, and other community art spaces in which he also teaches creative
writing and performance. |
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Find more details on the DC Youth Slam Team's Facebook page.Can't make it to a performance?
Donate now online |
