Ep 34: Empowering disabled youth through language in its various forms

Jessica Kim is a disabled poet, activist, and founder of I-CREATE YOUTH which is an organization that empowers disabled youth through language in its various forms. In March 2020, she started writing poetry in response to a frightening world and has since been named the 2021 Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate and 2022 National Youth Poet Laureate runner-up. In April of this year, her book of poems, L(EYE)GHT, which is centered on her visual impairment and Korean American experiences, has been published by Animal Heart Press. Jessica believes in advocating for disabled youth by inspiring them to share their stories through various forms of language from creative writing to computer programming. By initiating and directing programs at I-CREATE YOUTH, she hopes to educate students and the general public on disability justice and representation. Jessica has a very global mindset, having lived in multiple parts of the United States, South Korea, and Singapore.