Based on the belief that teenagers can and must speak for themselves, Urban Word NYC was founded in 1999. Since then, UW has been at the forefront of the youth spoken word, poetry and hip-hop movements in New York City and nationally. Serving over 15,000 teens annually, UW offers a comprehensive roster of in-school and after-school workshops in the areas of creative writing, journalism, literature and hip-hop. UW also presents local and national poetry slams, as well as open mic series, concerts and festivals. Consistent with its student-centered pedagogy, UW develops youth leaders that serve the organization as members of the Word Wide Youth Leadership Board, as well as providing students with internships and educational scholarships.