The youth slam poetry movement is growing in Houston. Writers in the Schools (WITS) is helping youth explore their truths through performance poetry and the renowned Meta-Four Houston program. Spoken word, slam competitions, and performance poetry bring people together to share stories and listen to our tomorrows. Performance poetry encourages creative self-expression and literacy among youth, while building a literary culture and platform for social change. By teaching youth to own their words, they learn to understand the potential power of their ideas. Performance poetry is a strong vehicle for education, deepening literacy, creativity, and communication skills, while preparing students to become civic and social leaders for the Houston community.