YCA’s programs all share a pedagogical tenet; they are designed to enable young people to examine the life they know and share their stories, so that others may learn from them. Poetry offers a natural on-ramp to storytelling and YCA’s teaching artists expertly use source texts and writing prompts that engage young people in the creative exploration of who they are. YCA’s artistic practice is steeped in the Chicago literary tradition of realist portraiture, drawing from poets, essayists, and lyricists, both time-honored and contemporary. Hip-hop music and culture have a significant presence in the body of work from which YCA draws.