Community Corner

Pacifica Youth Finalist In Regional Poetry Slam

Allison Kephart, 16, a student at Oceana High School, is one of 17 young poets in the 17th Annual Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam.

An student is among 17 teenagers who are finalists in the 15th Annual Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam.

Allison Kephart, 16, will partake in the slam, ran like an Olympic-style poetry competition, that features hundreds of young writers, emcees and performers from throughout Northern California, according to Youth Speaks.

The finalists were chosen after three weeks of 12 competitions in which 250 poets transformed their written work into spoken word during a variety of performances.

Kephart will be taking stage with these other finalists:

  • Gretchen Carvajal, 16, Newark
  • Cassandra Euphrat Weston, 18 of San Francisco
  • EJ Walls, 17 of San Leandro
  • Gabriela Pelsinger, 17 of San Francisco
  • Jade Cho, 18 of Oakland
  • Josh Merchant, 19 of Oakland
  • Khatsini Simani, 19 of Oakland
  • Maricar Bamba, 16 of San Francisco
  • Marje Kilpatrick, 14 of Richmond
  • Noah St. John, 15 of Berkeley
  • Nyabingha McDowell, 15 of Richmond
  • Obasi Davis, 15 of Oakland
  • Queen Nefertiti Shabazz, 16 of Berkeley
  • Shanika-Marshae Walker, 19 of Richmond
  • Stephanie Yun, 17 of Oakland
  • Tehan Ketema, 14 of Berkeley

The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. tonight at the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco.

The first Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam was held in 1997. 

For more information, visit the Youth Speaks website here.


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