About | Kay, Sarah (sera) (2024)

June 21, 2019
Sarah Kay’s Performance at the 2019 TED Conference of her poem, “A Bird Made of Birds.”

December 17, 2018
Sarah Kay interviewed by Debbie Millman for the Design Matters Podcast

December 5, 2015
Sarah Kay interviewed by Screenwriter Brian Koppelman for his Slate Podcast “The Moment”

May 17, 2012
Sarah Kay on the Peabody and Webby Award winning radio show, “On Being” with Krista Tippett.

April 6, 2011
Sarah’s National Poetry Month Playlist as featured on the YouTube homepage.

March 11, 2019
Check out Michele Moses’s profile on Sarah Kay & Phil Kaye for The New Yorker’s Talk of the Town column!

March 13, 2018
“In celebration of her new book, Kay spoke with us about her roots, how to be a good mentor, and the story she still needs to tell.”

March 7, 2018
ELLE.com brought Sarah Kay and Elizabeth Acevedo together for a conversation about why poetry isn’t a riddle, why poets are journalists, and what it means to be seen in the world.

October 13, 2017
Alyson Zetta interviewed Sarah Kay about her work, poetry in the digital age, and writing to understand the world around us for Rookie Magazine.

December 8, 2014
“Spoken word pedagogy stand[s] for a type of teaching and learning that is nontraditional, and is often discredited simply because it is somewhat of a novelty; however, through programs like Project VOICE, spoken word is gradually being given the consideration it deserves, even in the pedagogical world. Kay’s work is an inspiration, not because it has all the answers, but because it is not afraid to ask the right questions.”

May 15, 2014
“The great thing about Sarah Kay is that she not only manages to show you the sadness and rawness of reality, but also the joys in the little things.”

March 25, 2014
“Three years ago, a young spoken word poet named Sarah Kay dazzled the TED Conference, earning two standing ovations. Her performance about writing poetry to entertain and educate has since received over 5 million views on the TED website. Kay believes that communication is about telling stories that people can learn from. She offers five suggestions on how to make writing a part of your work and daily life.”

March 21, 2014
“The poet…reached stardom status, as much as any modern poet can hope to, when she gave a TED Talk in 2011. Project VOICE brings spoken word to young people nationally and internationally with the goal of inspiring creativity, letting students know that their opinions and ideas matter and, of course, searching for the next generation of spoken word prodigies such as Kay. Her philosophy about being a prodigy? We all have stories and thoughts and ideas worthy of being made into poetry.”

October 31, 2013
“When one talks about a poet, Sarah Kay is the type of person that comes to mind. Young and extremely passionate… she is changing lives around the world, one classroom at a time. Her work has gathered a great following and has inspired people of all ages to be the best they can be.”

September 17, 2013
“Ms. Kay… believe[s] that [spoken word] poetry may be especially well-suited to connecting with young people at an emotional level, making traditional poetry more accessible to students, and sharpening their critical-thinking skills.”

August 5, 2013
“Her poetry is reflective, deliberate, and accessible, and has duly gained momentum… Kay has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to education, authoring an anthology as well as holding workshops with students from all corners of the world. She strives to use spoken word poetry to inspire “passion, patience, and compassion in people,” regardless of external circ*mstance. Through a collaborative commitment to promoting international consciousness, she continues to enrich both herself and the people around her.”

August 17, 2012
“Sarah took some time out of her busy schedule (seriously… just this summer she’s been all over the northeast US and Central America and earlier this year to Singapore and Australia) to answer some questions for us.”

May 19, 2012
“Each time this lovely 23-year-old took the stage to perform a poem, the audience quieted, reflected, and delighted in a completely different way. On YouTube, at TED, and in classrooms around the world, Sarah Kay has become an inspiration and role model for teenagers (and others)… Listen to her closely— and take in the layers of response you have to her own poetry— and you see that she is doing something more instructive and nourishing… She puts words to what she knows about poetry, stories, and what happens within and between human beings.”

April 12, 2012
“Sarah has built her life around a career of poetry performance that has taken her to every corner of the globe… Perhaps an outgrowth of her interaction with so many people and cultures, Sarah feels passionately about the need to strike a balance in life between speaking and listening. “Some people only want to speak and hear their own voices, but then they don’t learn from others; they don’t learn compassion or empathy. Then there are other people who are scared to speak and are too willing to let others speak for them. This is dangerous because they sacrifice their individual story— one that nobody else can authentically tell. The key is balance. Be brave enough to speak, be open enough to listen.”

October 26, 2011
“Move Over, Boys. Sarah Kay Steals the Show. The Nantucket Project… featured some major financial heavyweights including Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google, Larry Summers, Former Treasury Secretary and President of Harvard University and Hedge Fund Manager Eddie Lampert, among others. And yet it was an upcoming poet, named Sarah Kay, who in many ways stole the show.”

April 11, 2011
“Reminding us of the role of the arts in this society, Kay’s talk provides us with a fresh and positive perspective that seems crucial in light of recent catastrophic events.”

March 10, 2011
“Sarah Kay… was a clear superstar and mesmerizing.”

March 9, 2011
“You don’t have to be old to be wise. One of the wisest talks of the event was by the youngest speaker, 22-year-old slam poet Sarah Kay, who showed how the doors of self-expression are available to everyone.”

March 4, 2011
“A performance poet named Sarah Kay blew down the house with her passionate wordplay.”