Youth Speaks, founded in 1996 in San Francisco, is a pioneering brand that presents Spoken Word performances, provides education, and offers youth development programs. They are trailblazers in the field of youth poetry slams and festivals, providing comprehensive literary arts education programs to empower youth and give them a platform to be heard. Youth Speaks has worked with hundreds of thousands of young people and has partnered with programs in 47 cities across the United States.

Their mission is to create a world where young people are honored, connected, and have the opportunity to express themselves through their own idiom. By combining poetry, spoken word, youth development, and civic engagement, Youth Speaks aims to challenge dominant narratives and create a more inclusive and active culture. They believe that literacy in all its forms is essential for personal growth and empowerment, and they provide spaces for young people to develop their educational, artistic, professional, and leadership skills.

Through their programs, Youth Speaks is shaping the new American Voice