Wicked Loud Youth Poetry

From 2012 to 2018, Mass LEAP founded & led a grass roots movement, bringing teens and mentors together in brave spaces to speak their stories through spoken word poetry slams. During that time, over a thousand young people from over 50 Massachusetts schools and youth arts organizations have had the opportunity to tell their truths, be heard and build community through a Louder than a Bomb Festival model our community, based off the popular model created by Young Chicago Authors. 

After taking a year hiatus to develop our non-profit organization, create new programs and bolster our organizing team, Mass LEAP has created a new festival that we feel will belong to our community, offer more opportunities for learning outside of the poetry slam competition and offer more support to the mentors and young people who make our community special. 

The first annual "Wicked Loud" Youth Poetry Festival is slated to launch in Boston in March 2020 and we are asking for support, so that we can better take care of our lead organizers, volunteers and young people we serve. 

In these divisive times, we need to hear the voices of young people more than ever!

Funding will allow us to offer paid stipends for lead organizers, more support for volunteers and give more access to mentors and youth leaders to receive support as they prepare to participate in this life changing festival. 

Mass L E A P INC: Massachusetts Literary Education & Performance (MassLEAP) is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit dedicated to increasing the number of opportunities for youth and educators to pursue positive youth development through spoken word poetry forums. We coordinate the annual Wicked Loud Youth Poetry Festival, visit schools for performances and workshop residencies, provide professional development for teaching artists and teachers and mentor youth leaders who wish to serve their peers.