Milwaukee Youth to Compete in The World’s Largest Spoken Word Festival in Teen Finals

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – February 9^th, 2018 – On March 3^rd, 2018 the poetry slam of the century will make its way to the Marcus Performing Arts Center. This is a public event that is free and open to all ages! The Brave New Voices Final competition will feature the cities most talented young performers barring their art, poetry, and soul for the chance to advance to nationals held in Houston, Texas. The 10 poets with the highest scores will move on to the second round. The scores from both rounds are totaled; the 5 poets with the highest composite scores will go on to represent Milwaukee at the 2018 Brave New Voices festival.

Dasha Kelly and her non-profit outreach organization Still Waters Collective have brought together Milwaukee teens to compete internationally since 2006. Each year The Brave New Voices competition gives hundreds of students the chance to share their stories, network, and attend world class workshops held by the most renowned writers and poets of our time. The Brave New Voices Festival represents some of the worlds most talented, create, and diverse future leaders as they join for an experience that will never be forgotten.

Come support the Still Waters Collective youth finalist as they compete for their chance to bring home to gold for Milwaukee. The will take place at The Marcus Center for Performing Arts in Vogel Hallon. Located at 929 N Water St. the evening of March 3rd, 2018, doors open at 6:30pm and performances begin promptly at 7:00pm.

Students Competing from the Milwaukee Area:

Jason Gray of Pulaski High School

Nia Mooney of Rufus King High School

Aryanna Strickland of Veritas High School

Saleaqua Winston from Milwaukee High School of The Arts

Dasonie Nelson from Milwaukee High School of The Arts

Olivia Keenan of Wauwatosa West High School

Jasmine Roach of Prairie High School

Andrew Jackson of Carmen High School

Janiyah Moore Milwaukee Public Schools Alumna

Jenna Harb of Wauwatosa West High School

Lhylia (Layla) Tate from Milwaukee High School of The Arts

About Still Waters Collective

Still Waters Collective began as an adult open mic at a Milwaukee nightclub called Mecca. From four poets standing sharing their work around a tall cocktail table, the Still Waters series grew to a weekly institution that nurtured a community for more than a decade.

Still Waters founder, Dasha Kelly, began being invited into schools and organizations as an established writer and performer. She created a constellation of workshops, afterschool projects, and special event series tailored for exciting young people about their own ideas, voice, individuality and agency. By 2008 Still Waters was predominantly focused on youth, delivering programs to three area schools. Today, SWC delivers programming to more than three dozen schools every year. Further, we offer employment, leadership development, and career training to program alumni between the ages of 18-25. Our family spans generations once again, with an adult open mic, a storytelling social, public workshops and discussions.

The future of Still Waters is to continue gathering our best ideas and selves around pages and stages, invigorating in us all the habit of listening AND being heard.

Still Waters Collect applies the craft of creative writing and the art of spoken word to build community, capacity and confidence.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Recent Press Releases by Still Waters Collective

Milwaukee Teens Take Houston For the Brave New Voices International Poetry Festival

Mar 17th, 2018 by Still Waters Collective

Six finalists will go on to represent Milwaukee in Houston, Texas this summer.

Milwaukee Youth to Compete in The World’s Largest Spoken Word Festival in Teen Finals

Feb 26th, 2018 by Still Waters Collective

Semi-finalist will compete for the chance to bring home the gold