Brave New Voices

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Brave New Voices is being hosted by Columbia this year. . . for the first three days of their events and I had the good fortune, luck really, to be able to judge one of the slam bouts yesterday. Teams from D.C., Rochester, Worchester, Seattle and Albuquerque. And they were amazing. I don't always love slam poetry. Admittedly, I also don't always love teenage poetry. I always love where it comes from--the intention, the hope--but the work itself isn't always great.

But these kids were amazing. Political, funny, sad, smart, lyrical. And more than that, every room was filled with excitement and love. Really. Love. A kid messes up, the whole room claps and yells shouts of encouragement. A poet finishes and kids from other teams hug them. I'm a softie and I cried through more of it than I would like to admit.

If you live in Chicago, or anywhere nearby, you should be trying to make it to the final performance. There may still be tickets and I guarantee you that this will be one of the most joyful and heartrending nights you've shared with other people in the recent past.