The People's Choice Poetry Slam

Urban Word, NYC Votes, and The New York Public Library invite you to join us for an electrifying afternoon of spoken word where YOU get to be the judge! ✨

Hosted by Stephanie Pacheco, 2024-25 National Youth Poet Laureate, The People’s Choice Poetry Slam is not just a showcase of talent—it’s a celebration of youth power, community, and creative expression.

Using an interactive ranked-choice voting system, the audience will decide who takes home the slam prize—making this a true People’s Choice event.

More than just poetry, this slam is about amplifying voices and energizing our community ahead of the upcoming primary elections. Come for the verses, stay for the vibes, and leave feeling empowered! Plus, end the day with pizza and giveaways!

Open to teens ages 13–18 | Located on the 7th Floor of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library

Slam contest and prize sponsored by Urban Word. Optional voter registration will be offered at this event. Registering to vote, or not registering to vote, has no effect whatsoever on anyone's ability to participate in the event, to win any prizes, to receive any giveaways, or to vote for the winner of the poetry slam.

Stephanie Pacheco is the 2024-2025 National Youth Poet Laureate, and served as the 2023 NYC Youth Poet Laureate and the inaugural New York State Youth Poet Laureate. She was also a member of Urban Word’s 2022 Youth Slam Team.

Hailing from The Bronx, she has been a leading organizer and strategist with several activist organizations including the Healing Centered Schools Task Force, working to mobilize youth across the city against educational injustice.

She is a recipient of the 2021 Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Her advocacy and poetry have been highlighted by The New York Times, The Today Show, NPR, The Daily News, CBS, and other publications. She has spoken and performed in several spaces such as The Kennedy Center, Folger Library, The Schomburg Center, The Apollo Theater, The Barclays Center, The New York Public Library, TedXCUNY, and more.

The New York Public Library has so much to offer teens, including resources for achieving academic success; welcoming, well-equipped spaces for building skills and developing creative projects; a wide array of materials for learning and exploring extracurricular interests; and mental health support.

In our branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island—as well as our newly expanded Teen Centers in select locations—we offer millions of books and e-books, tech and digital tools, and more to equip teens with what they need to succeed both today and in the future. Learn more: | Follow us on Instagram:

NYC Votes is an initiative of the New York City Campaign Finance Board, the independent city agency that ensures local elections are fair, inclusive, and open. We boost participation among voters and candidates alike to ensure our elected officials reflect the diversity of our city and the needs of our communities. Learn more:

Urban Word champions youth voice by providing platforms for literacy, self-expression, civic engagement, and leadership through free creative writing, college prep workshops, and performance opportunities.

Through the transformative power of the written and spoken word, Urban Word provides young, creative voices, often those who are marginalized, the tools, training, and platforms to rewrite the narratives that shape their lives and their communities. Learn more:

Also check out other Arts events in New York, Literary Art events in New York, Workshops in New York.