Release Date: 12/23/2025
Get Lit, the Los Angeles–based literary nonprofit, today announced 20 winners of If I Awaken in Los Angeles, the largest youth poetry contest in both Los Angeles and the nation, and awarded $30K in cash prizes. Thousands of students and teachers across the region submitted original poems exploring identity, community, lineage, and what it feels like to grow up in a city defined by both beauty and contradiction.
Educators across the region used the poetry contest powered online by Uni(verse) and eKadence to spark classroom dialogue and empower students to interpret their LA experiences through poetry.
Learn more about the contest in the official PR by clicking here:
The eKadence Learning Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing education by providing students with innovative, accessible learning opportunities. Through partnerships and programs, the foundation empowers learners to develop critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills, supporting academic growth and personal development.
GetLit is a nationally recognized nonprofit that inspires literacy, creativity, and self-expression among young people through poetry and writing programs. By engaging students in workshops, mentorship, and contests, GetLit helps youth develop their voices, strengthen literacy skills, and build confidence in sharing their stories.
Media Contacts:
eKadence Learning Foundation
Brad Caldwell
(888) 844-5705
brad.caldwell@ekadence.org
www.ekadence.org
Get Lit – Words Ignite
Diane Lane
(213) 388-8639
info@getlit.org
www.getlit.org