Young Chicago Authors is proud to present the 9th Annual Louder Than A Bomb Teen Poetry Festival, which engages schools and community organizations from all over the Chicago area in workshops, showcases, panel discussions and a teen poetry slam.

The poetry slam is an Olympic-style poetry contest, created in Chicago in 1985 and now an international phenomenon. Using friendly competition to gather the best and brightest young writers from the Chicago area, Louder Than a Bomb is a safe space that emphasizes community building, education, and youth empowerment.

By carrying on the rich tradition of oral storytelling and the spoken word, Louder Than a Bomb will engage over 500 youth participants representing over 50 schools and community organizations to share stories, break stereotypes, speak the truth; challenging themselves and their audience.

This year the competition took place February 20 through March 8. Presented here is the Final Round of competition:

Special Guest: FM Supreme

Special Screening: “Louder Than a Bomb” - produced by Siskel/Jacobs Productions, Louder Than a Bomb is a film about passion, competition, teamwork, and trust. It’s about the joy of being young, and the pain of growing up. It’s about speaking out, making noise, and finding your voice.

Special Guest: Quinmesha - “Coming on the Greenline”

Introduction Piece by hosts Kevin Coval & Idris Goodwin

Future of the Slam Award: Bernadette (Ames) - “Untitled”

Chuck D Lyrical Terrorism Award: Michelle Rashad (Lindblom) - “Leaving on a War Plane”

Special Guest: Sam (Free Write Jail Arts and Literacy Program; Cook County Juvenile Detention Center) - “Who I Am”

Haiku Slam Winner: Raina Sun

Spirit of the Slam Award: Team Maine East

Sacrificial Poet: Kiara Lanier - “Bathtub Baptism”

ROUND 1 -
Annalissia-Kiana “KeeKey” Itson (Kuumba Lynx) - “Suicide Slithered”
Rebecca Johnson (OPRF) - “Family Man”
Robert Raymond (Northside) - “Hit Man”
Noor Hasan (Niles West) - “My Fall Out Boy AP Calculus Blues”

ROUND 2 -
Brandon Daniels (OPRF) - “Sade’s Remix”
Matthew Ramir (Northside) - “After Living”
Ainee Fatima (Niles West) - “Ramadan Reflections”
Marvin Gutierrez (Kuumba Lynx) - Overgrown”

INDY POETS (Round 1) -
Jessica (Maine East) - “Untitled”
Erika (Indy - Chicago Academy) - “When Ike Died”

Special Guest: JIvy

INTERMISSION

Emcee Olympics Winner: Lamar “The Truth” Jordan - “Forbidden Fruit”

ROUND 3 -
Sarah Winters (Northside) - “The Math”
Aris Theotokatos (Niles West) - “Married to Hip-Hop”
Kiela McNair (Kuumba Lynx) - “Dedicated”
Asia Calcagno (OPRF) - “Chalk”

INDY POETS (Round 2) -
Gabbi (Walter Payton) - “Ode to Lil’ Wayne”
Chris (Indy - Niles) - “D.A.N.C.E.”
Ashley (Lyrical Revolution) - “The Poem That Comes After Trial Accounts Masters Graff”

GROUP PIECE ROUND -
Northside College Prep - “I Love You”
Kuumba Lynx - “Injustice and I”
Oak Park-River Forest High School - “We Got What You Need”
Niles West - “Wicked”

AWARD CEREMONY

Recorded Sunday, March 08, 2009 at The Vic Theatre.