Miraculous

My birth is a daily reminder of what gives me purpose. I am a miracle baby. I was born on October 8, 1983 at one pound three and half ounces dropping to less than a pound with a less than 10% chance of survival.

I was on covers of magazines and newspapers before I could talk. I've had complications from my birth, multiple rhinoplasty reconstruction surgeries when I was five, and three more when I was sixteen.

Poetry was an outlet that gave voice to my teen self and adulthood when bullies got to me. Depression and suicide ideation held its dark cloud over me in my formative years of growth to the point I tried to take my own life in my early twenties.

I thank God I'm still here! I've never taken a birthday for granted since.

I soon realized after that there was a calling on my life to bring my poetry out of a notebook and onto a stage and mic. Church programs and services gave me my start on a journey that continues to challenge and amaze me. Finding the right words in dealing with such difficult subject matters I learned early the impact my words and performances would have on countless young people and adults.

Ten years later the foundational church performances, open mics, Slam competitions have all blessed me with opportunities to travel to states I've never visited before, Oakland, CA and Decatur GA have given me the confidence and boldness to continue to let my experiences give light and hope to whomever has heard my words or watched me perform live.

Audiences are always enthralled by the dynamic passion I bring. It is my lifeblood and purpose. I haven't competed in a few years due to the tragic loss of my father passing away in 2017.

I believe that a poet doesn't need to compete at a National Poetry Slam to get the recognition they deserve as long as the hard work is put in elsewhere. It all comes down to consistency with your content, posting on various social media platforms, and collaborating and building with the right network of people who have a similar vision and an outreach you don't, to enhance your own creativity to a level you couldn't do without the help of others.

That is where I'm at today. My website was published at the beginning of the pandemic and brand new business cards with my own logo has finally become a reality after hearing for years of other artist creatives to push me to get it done. Better late than never right?

As we have all become adjusted to a global crisis I found myself creating in ways because of the pandemic through zoom calls given incredible opportunities to learn from some of the best poets from around the world have made me a more confident writer. I'm still learning to adjust playing my saxophone into virtual sets. It is something I miss playing live shows with because it brings a dynamic most poets don't possess and is a rare addition to the spoken word community.

I believe people who follow my work on social media or support a show is because of my raw vulnerability I give to my writing and passion when I'm performing. You can't fake authenticity, and to be a creative person you have to lead with your heart on your sleeve. The lesson now is to use my gifts in a larger monetary sense. I've taught countless workshops before COVID in various settings of education to college classrooms all paid.

It's learning the avenues to get paid large sums of money in the thousands not just $50 features. This is the time where spoken word artists are getting more recognition than ever and we all deserve to be paid as such. Not just for a slam competition but features, tours, and workshops.

I also work in the school system in my city where for the past fifteen years working in special education with high school autistic behavioral students has impacted my life as well as poetry because it's a population mostly overlooked and few understand. I've had the challenge and pleasure of connecting with non-verbal behavior autistic students the past five years I cannot speak enough on how these students have imprinted on my heart for a lifetime, they keep my soul filled and my pen writing.

That's always been my motivation and dedication to the calling on my life to make a powerful, positive impact on the earth that there are times I'm not aware of the blessing my miraculous life has made on others. I hold every moment in gratitude and look forward to the doors that are opening to make room.