San Francisco — Many of the Bay Area’s leading youth spoken word artists took to the stage on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to illuminate the meaning of his life work in the light of this new moment. The 12th annual "Bringing the Noise" celebration filled the over 900 seats at the Herbst Theater. By all accounts it was a great success for Youth Speaks who brings together literary arts education, performance, youth activism and social change empowerment. One young African-American performer, youth poet Andrew Wilson, told our Colorlines cameras "We’re fighting against Prop 8, police brutality, corrupt government. So we have a new dream … to see equality and human rights addressed." Watch the embedded video above for clips of the night’s spoken word on Dr. King and some reflections on King’s significance at the dawn of the first Black Presidency. Here’s more about the "Bringing the Noise" event:

Since it started in 1998, Bringing the Noise for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has brought together young poets and performers in commemoration of Dr. King’s legacy. This event is a celebration of voice and eloquence from across all social boundaries.