Talia Young

Talia saw her peers struggling with depression, eating disorders, and the pressures of high school. She saw her classmates trapped in silence, with no constructive outlets for conversation. Inspired by her Jewish upbringing and its focus on the transformative power of community, Talia created a spoken word club that she named Looking for Home to nurture a supportive environment where teens could express themselves freely. As the visionary behind Looking for Home, Talia facilitated a high school poetry club and workshop series that enabled students to discuss serious issues in their lives and turn their struggles into art.

Looking for Home has created a safe space for a diverse group of teens from five public, private, and parochial schools in San Francisco. The workshop culminated in a public showcase, which empowered participants to find their voice and sparked a conversation among audience members about being a teenager. Talia has developed a guide featuring students’ poetry and curriculum ideas to inspire other Bay Area schools to launch similar programs.

I believe to help someone, you first have to understand their experience, and we can do that through storytelling.

“It is never too late, too early, or too often TO GIVE BACK AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE”

2013 Award Recipient

TaliaYoung

I believe to help someone, you first have to understand their experience, and we can do that through storytelling.

Talia Young

Helen Diller