MAYOR NUTTER CONGRATULATES PHILLY YOUTH POETRY MOVEMENT, 2011 BRAVE NEW VOICES CHAMPIONS

Philadelphia, July 25, 2011 – Yesterday Mayor Michael A. Nutter spoke by telephone to members of the Philly Youth Poetry Movement (PYPM) – a group of young Philadelphia spoken word artists – to congratulate them on winning the 2011 Brave New Voices Championship held in San Francisco this weekend. Brave New Voices is the largest spoken word event in the world and last year was featured on HBO. Members of PYPM include Charmira Nelson, Sinnea Douglas, Kai Davis, Safiya Washington, and Jamar Hall.rnrn“These young people, expressing themselves creatively and positively, should be an inspiration to our entire city,” said Mayor Nutter. “This sends a message to all young people in Philadelphia that if you work hard, if you are positive, and if you are supported then there is nothing that you cannot achieve. We’re going to give them a real ‘Champions’ Welcome’ when they return home to Philly.” rnrnMayor Nutter supported PYPM’s trip to California with a $5,000 contribution from the City of Philadelphia and hosted the poets for a City Hall Youth Poetry Night on July 14, 2011, the second City Hall Youth Poetry Night hosted by the Mayor and organized by the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. The City’s contribution was matched by $5,000 from the Lomax Family Foundation. Finally Southwest Airlines donated the flights to and from California. Mayor Nutter called PYPM founder and Executive Director Greg Corbin on Sunday who put the Mayor on speakerphone so he could speak to the champion poets in California.rnrnFollowing the victory PYPM sent the following message of thanks to their supporters for making this opportunity a reality for the young poets: “Thank you to @Michael_Nutter, #Philly, @SouthwestAir & Lomax Family Foundation for making this opportunity possible for our poets. #BNV”rnrn“Whether it’s the Philly Youth Poetry Movement, the North Philly Blackhawks and Frankford Chargers, or our Work to Ride Polo Champions, when young people step up to do the right thing, adults must step up to support them,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter.rnrnBrave New Voices (BNV) was created by Youth Speaks, Inc in 1998 after the inaugural Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam in San Francisco—the first poetry slam dedicated to youth in the nation’s history. Since that time, Brave New Voices has grown to represent youth from all across the United States and Europe, making it the largest ongoing spoken word event in the world.rnrnThe Philly Youth Poetry Movement is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to helping the youth of Philadelphia discover the power of their voices through spoken word and literary expression. Founded in 2006, PYPM provides a safe environment for at-risk youth ages 13-19 to use poetry as a vehicle to express and advocate for themselves, explore their identity(ies), enhance literacy and critical thinking skills, and become agents of social change. Through free weekly workshops, monthly slams, national/local performance opportunities, mentoring and community service, we provide a space where youth use their voices to bring about both personal and social transformation.rnrnPhotographs from the City Hall Youth Poetry Night can be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phillycityrep/sets/72157627128496099/