Register by March 14 for youth poetry slam at Joliet Historical Museum

Are you a young person with something to say?

Then register for the poetry slam contest presented by Speak Up & Speak Out from 2-5 p.m. April 10 at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, located at 204 N. Ottawa St. in Joliet.

Two $500 prizes will be awarded.

Speak Up & Speak Out is a Joliet-based nonprofit that received its nonprofit status in January, according to its founder Trista Graves Brown.

Participating youth must be ages 13 to 21 years old and live in one of the following areas: Joliet, Plainfield, New Lenox, Minooka, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Lockport, Crest Hill, Channahon, Rockdale and Naperville.

Brown said youth will be able to “speak with no filter.” She said this means youth “get an opportunity to speak their own truth” but through “a poetry way.”

However, this poetry slam is not an open mic, Brown said. The youth will meet with mentors from the community at 5:30 p.m. on March 16, March 31 and April 7 at the museum.

Brown said the mentors will encourage youth who are shy or feel they aren’t poets.

“If they need some help in putting their words together, the mentors are there to support them,” Brown said.

At the event, seasoned poets will also perform as they “pass the torch” to the youth poets, Brown said.

The event will also include youth vendors and a DJ, Brown said. Vendor fee is $40. Pay vendor fee to Cash App $Tristabrwn.

Youth must register by March 14 to participate in the event.

The community may attend the poetry slam contest. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students or $25 for three youth ages 13 to 17.

All proceeds from the event benefit Speak Up & Speak Out.

For information, call 779-379-2390 or infoatspeakup@gmail.com or visit https://tinyurl.com/SpeakUpSpeakOut2.