Young Voices With New Visions

Young Voices With New Visions will be moving into its 12th year of inspiring, training, developing, and producing new work written by elementary, middle, and high school students. From 2008 until now, YVNV has nurtured the talent of over 300 aspiring young playwrights and poets. Astoundingly, YVNV has produced 22 new plays by 25 students in grades 4-12 from Georgia, New York, and as far away as New Delhi.

The YVNV Coast To Coast Poetry Slam was instituted in March 2020 to address the needs of students since start of the COVID19 pandemic. The YVNV C2C Poetry Slam Project has published and presented original work via electronic magazines and virtual Poetry Slams.   YVNV provides training via on-campus after school Young Playwrights Units, e-mail, Skype, and Public Libraries. Play Submissions are accepted year-round. Original Poetry is accepted beginning in February each year for the National Poetry Month Coast To Coast Poetry Slam.

The annual YVNV Short Play Fest audiences have been traditionally comprised of the families and friends of the featured young playwrights and student actors. Professional actors, directors, designers, technical crew, and undergraduates from area college/university theatre programs use the event to showcase their talents to casting directors and professional theatres.  Many of our young writers and actors have been students who attend Title I schools. The YVNV experience provides an opportunity for them to imagine new worlds and examine their own worlds. They are able to give voice to their ideas and have them validated--sometimes for the very first time. There is a wonderful sense of achievement and power for the young playwrights. They have the ability to unleash the emotions of their audience and create a unique experience.

Pamela-Faith Jackson is founder of the Young Voices With New Visions, Inc., a non-profit organization, and editor of two anthologies: Black Comedy: 9 Plays-A Critical Anthology With Interviews and Essays and Plays by Youth, About Youth, For You.  Her training includes a B.A. Drama, Spelman College; M.F.A. Dramaturgy/Criticism, Columbia University: M.Ed. Early Childhood Education, Georgia State University; and Talented and Gifted Certification. She was a former literary Manager for Crossroad Theatre Company in New Brunswick New Jersey, and an Associate Producer for the Negro Ensemble Company in New York City. She presently works as a Gifted and Talent Development Educator in the Atlanta Public Schools System.