Please note: This reading contains sexually explicit language and is not censored.

Brave New Voices is a one-of-a-kind festival that brings together the top young poets and spoken word artists, aged 13-19, from across the United States and beyond. Each year, Brave New Voices is held in a different city, highlighting the changing demographics of the country and a new poetic and politic for the 21st Century. For the second time, the six-day festival was held in Chicago. 

Brave New Voices 2009 featured more than 500 Teen Poetry Slam Champions from 45 parts of the country and 5 additional cities from across the globe, representing over 50,000 young poets in their local communities. These young writers come to Brave New Voices each year not only to compete, but to attend world-class workshops led by renowned poets and writers, participate in youth development programs, and highlight the voices of a new generation of leadership.

Recorded Friday, July 17, 2009 at Museum of Contemporary Art.