Kevin coval

Kevin Coval is a poet, activist, and educator known for his socially engaged poetry and commitment to fostering youth voices. After co-founding Louder Than A Bomb: The Chicago Teen Poetry Festival in 2001, Kevin Coval went on to establish one of the nation’s largest youth poetry slams, which was subsequently featured in a documentary. Prior to this, Coval began his influential tenure as artistic director of Young Chicago Authors in 1999. His profile gained national recognition through multiple appearances on Russell Simmons’s ‘Def Poetry Jam’ on HBO, beginning in 2002, where he performed his poem ‘Family Feud’ and later served as a creative consultant.

Coval is the author of several acclaimed poetry collections, including ‘Slingshots (A Hip-Hop Poetica),’ published in 2005, which was honored as an American Library Association Book of the Year finalist. Coval continued to expand his literary footprint with further collections, including ‘Everyday People’ (2008) and ‘L-vis Lives! Racemusic poems’ (2011). In 2013, he released ‘Schtick: Jewish Assimilation and Its Discontents.’ His versatility extended to playwriting as he co-wrote ‘This Is Modern Art,’ which premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults in 2015, followed by an off-Broadway run in 2018.

His insights and commentary have also been featured across various esteemed publications and platforms, including Huffington Post, WBEZ: Chicago Public Radio, CNN, and Rock the Bells. Recognized for his profound societal contributions, Coval has received prestigious accolades such as the Gandhi/King Peace Making Award and the Studs Terkel Award in 2018. Although he departed from Young Chicago Authors in 2021, his foundational impact on youth poetry and socially conscious artistic expression continues to resonate, shaping a new generation of literary talent and amplifying underrepresented voices.