Phone: (415) 255-9035
Fax: (415) 255-9065

URL: www.youthspeaks.org
Email: paul@youthspeaks.org

Youth Speaks
2169 Folsom St., Studio 100
San Francisco, CA 94110

Youth Speaks is building the next generation of leaders through the written and spoken word. A non-profit literary arts, education, and cultural resource center for teenagers, emerging writers, and literary performance, our innovative programs nurture and develop positive social dialogue across boundaries of age, race, class, gender, culture, and sexual orientation. We encourage young writers to find their own avenues toward creative self-expression and embrace the collaborative nature of group dynamics and peer-to-peer education. By coupling performance and publication opportunities with educational workshops, mentoring programs, and cooperative learning, Youth Speaks is committed to creating spaces that celebrate emerging voices and their essential role in the literary continuum.

Youth Speaks’ process for selecting touring artist residencies includes the Executive Director and Program Director discussing with staff members possible artist residencies in relation to the large productions we host annually, including The Bay Area Hip Hop Theater Festival in May and the Living Word Festival in October. Touring artists are selected for residencies based on their ability and commitment to working with young writers and their involvement in future aesthetics of spoken word, hip hop theater, and/or multidisciplinary performance relating to the written word. Selected artists meet with Executive Director and Program Director about residency activities and working with teen writers, local high schools, and other community organizations.