Enjoy!
If you’re looking for
a hero, look no further than Sarah Kay. I discovered her quite by
accident while browsing through YouTube videos one afternoon – but
what a happy accident it was. That day, I was not just introduced to
a funny, engaging and inspiring young woman, but also to the
wonderful world of Spoken Word Poetry, a hub of creative expression
that I hadn't previously known existed.
Sarah grew up in New
York City, the daughter of a Japanese mother and a Jewish father.
Always interested in performance and writing, at 14 she discovered
the Bowery Poetry Club, the city’s premier venue for Spoken Word.
As Sarah describes it, she was instantly hooked. Despite being much
younger than other Bowery poets, she began writing and performing and
continues to this day. Along with friend and fellow ‘Japa-Jew’
Phil Kaye, she founded Project V.O.I.C.E (Vocal
Outreach Into Creative Expression) to introduce young people to the
power of Spoken Word as a tool for communication and creative outlet.
She’s competed in poetry competitions across the US, performed on
television, written two books, and given three TED talks which, in my
opinion, ought to be required viewing for every unmotivated teenager
on the planet. And all of this by the age of 25.
But
what I find inspiring about Sarah is not necessarily the extent of
her achievements given her relatively young age. What inspires me is
her positivity, her absolute belief in her ideals, the feeling that
every word she says, poetry or otherwise, is genuine and heartfelt.
She makes me smile, laugh, cry. She makes me want to pick up a pen
and write my own poetic observations on life. She’s a ‘grown-up’
with the heart of a child, and for that fact alone, she has my
undying admiration.
For
more information and to find some of Sarah’s performances, check
out her website, www.kaysarahsera.com,
or the Project V.O.I.C.E website, www.project-voice.net.
