The Speak Green Initiative is a culmination of two years of partnership with the Robert Redford Sundance Institute. 

Thus far, winners and participants have performed at the United States Mayors Conference, where over 70 of the nations Mayors convene to discuss environmental responsibility and accountability; the Power Shift Conference which was a convening of 5000 young people in Washington DC to lobby against Global Warming; and the Green Build conference where engineers and architects gather to be introduced to new technology and be inspired to save the earth.

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 Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies.