02

With only a few weeks before the Washington finals, the real work begins for poetry teams in Philadelphia (the defending champs), Honolulu and Ann Arbor. New faces include Alysia and Josh, two Philly poets who bonded in a diversity conference; Jamaica, immersed in the culture and traditions of Hawaii; Attai, a former prodigy striving to add substance to his style; and Ben and Aimee, part of a Michigan team trying to counter stereotypes of white upperclass kids. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Ericka gets a second chance to make a team, while in NYC, B. Yung's spot is jeopardized when he fails a teamwork test given by his coach, Queen God Is.