Deborah Mashibini- St. Louis, Missouri 2013

ORGANIZER: Deborah Mashibini

CONTACT: dmashibini@gmail.com

100,000 Poets for Change St. Louis!

Poetry for Personal Power and the Yeyo Arts Collective present: 100,000 Poets for Change St. Louis! Saturday, September 28, 2013 from 5 – 9 PM at GYA Community Arts, 2700 Locust Street, St. Louis 63105 (corner of Beaumont and Locust, one block west of Jefferson, one block north of Olive).

St. Louis’s own Poetry for Personal Power and Yeyo Arts Collective bring together a strikingly diverse array of poets and spoken word artists who will (join) participate with thousands of poets from around the world, presenting simultaneously on September 28th in a demonstration/celebration of poetry, art and music to promote social, environmental, and political change.

(100’s) Hundreds of cities representing over 100 countries are on the 100,000 Poets for Change map, participating through poetry readings, public demonstrations, community picnics, awareness events, parades, concerts, and more.
St. Louis is represented! Come hear Aja LaStarr read who will also serve as MC, along with Michael Castro, Shirley Bradley LeFlore, Ree Cee, Sylvia Woods, Maria Balogh, Aaron Williams, Matthew Freeman, X Blu Rayne, Anna Lum, Katie Bannister, Jasson Vassar, Susan Spitfire Lively, Ruqayyah Baily, Deborah Mashibini, JoyCe Blue, Outreach Poet Educators from the St. Louis Poetry Center and more! Enjoy what might be the most diverse array of word artists presented in a single event this year: young, old, professional, first-time readers, academic, self taught, widely published and spoken word/slam artists….. a sampling of all will be sharing their work. Free and open to the public! Donations to support the work of Yeyo Arts Collective encouraged. For information email: dmashibini@gmail.com

Every year, on September 28, poets all over the country—and all over the world, from Albania to Wales—gather for marathon readings. (They let in a musician or three as well.) The event, 100,000 Poets For Change, was launched in 2011 as a “a demonstration/celebration of poetry, art and music to promote social, environmental, and political change.” That first year, organizers put together 700 events in 550 cities in 95 countries, making it the largest poetry event in history. It has become an annual occurrence, and every September, the map on the website is filled with pins marking picnics, parades, concerts, demonstrations and of course poetry readings happening all over the world.

10TPFC had a St. Louis event for the inagural year, and has continued to organize one every year since. This year’s reading is curated this year by poet Deborah Mashibini, and sponsored by Poetry for Personal Power and Yeyo Arts Collective. The reading will be held at GYA, marking a change of venue for the event (it’s been held at Regional Arts Commission in years past).

This year’s emcee, Aja La’Starr, is a poet and spoken-word artist as well as a hip-hop artist, educator, and founder of IAMHIPHOPSTL, which celebrates women’s contributions to hip-hop culture. Poets include River Styx founder Michael Castro and Shirley Bradley LeFlore, formerly of the legendary Black Artists’ Group. Other participating poets and artists include Ree Cee, Sylvia Woods, Maria Balogh, Aaron Williams, Matthew Freeman, X Blu Rayne, Anna Lum, Katie Rodriquez Bannister, Jason Vassar, Susan Spitfire Lively, Ruqayyah Bailey, Sonya Venerable, Deborah Mashibini, JoyCe Blue, AD (Aireez DaRychuss), Lightning (Kristy “Lightning” McKeown), Rennell Parker, Olivia Cook, Glendal Wallace, Meru Muaddib, Itshanapa (Dail Chambers), Copasetic Soul, amd Cris Gualberto. As has been the case with the last two events, the lineup includes a huge range of artists: from young and first-time writers to established and widely published poets, slam poets to academics. The event is free and open to the public, though donations to GYA’s resident Yeyo Arts Collective are encouraged.

10PFC St. Louis Happens at GYA, 2700 Locust, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 28. For more information, visit 100tpcmedia.org/100TPC2012/category/united-states/missouri/st-louis.

MC:
Aja La’Starr is a hip-hop musician, poet, spoken word artist, and educator. La’ Starr is the founder of “IAMHIPHOPSTL”, a dynamic movement celebrating the positive contributions of women throughout hip hop culture. She has appeared on BET and opened up for the likes of Jill Scott, Mary Blige, and 50 Cent. In 2011, Aja received the “Author of the Year” award at the “2012 Traffic Music Awards” and was honored two years in a row by “Divas of the Lou”. She has been featured at numerous shows across the country such as: “Spoken Word Groove”, “Sistah Speak”, “S.W.A.U.”, “Hustle and Flow: The Experience”, “Soul Spektrum”, “Soul Sessions”, “Soul Stage”, “Thundaground Open Mic”, “Erotic Interludes”, “Got Lyrics”, “The Word”, and more.
In addition to self-publishing her own books – “Refuge: A Poetic Sanctuary” (2011) and “Venus Loves Music” (2012), La’ Starr has helped to publish over 18 authors, many of them children. Her most recent book “No Vacancy” has contributors from around the world and it’s proceeds benefit local shelter Shalom House. Her Cd projects include: “Back II Tha Elements”, “Sistah Souljahz”, “I’m Different”, and “Intimate Conversations”.

5:00 – 6:00 PM:
Maria Balogh is a bilingual, bicultural poet, fiction writer, dancer, and educator originally from Colombia. She performs dances & reads poetry with Grupo Atlántico. Ediciones Torremozas has just published her book of poetry in Spanish Bailar caribeño in May 2013. She has several publications in both languages in literary journals.

AD (Aireez DaRychuss), an Award-winning musician, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and spoken word artist, is originally from New Orleans, LA. He has performed at “SoulSTAGE”, “Poems, Prose, and Pint”, “Urb Slam”, “Open Mic Night @ The Inn” “Chance Operations”, and many other regional shows, as well as gracing stages all across the nation. He created his own label – “Thundagrownd Produckshuns”, often tours around the country, and has three CD’s out – “So Deep, The EP”, “9 Lives”, and “Apply as Needed: Vol.1”.

Ruqayyah Cherie Bailey is 24 year old young women who loves to write poetry and inspire people with her words, she also advocate for others; so then one day they can advocate for themselves. Ruqayyah has completed a program called partners in policy making which is a program through the Missouri Council Of Development Disabilities. She also hopes to have a master in something with disabilities. She also hopes to still pledge Delta Sigma Theta. One of her goals is to become the next Orprah Winfrey for people with disabilities around the world.

Katie Rodriquez Bannister is a speaker, author, poet, actor and disability educator. With her husband, Steve the two co-founded Access-4-All, Inc. in 1997 with a mission to educate and empower people with and without disabilities. Katie has authored Aunt Katie’s Visit, The Personal Care Attendant Guide, A Pocket of Poems, and Karmic Validations. Katie’s honors include Ms. Wheelchair Missouri 2010, 2001 St. Louis Woman of Achievement, Missouri Jaycees 1998 Ten Outstanding Young Missourians, MO Governor’s Council on Disability 1993 Advocate of the Year, and Kirkwood MO Jr. Miss 1982.

JoyCe Blue (Joyce Grimes) has presented her work as part of the Blue-Mashibini poetry team beginning in the 1980’s in multiple venues from Shirley LeFlore’s Creative Arts and Expression Lab (CAEL) to Maurice’s Gold Coast Comedy Lounge. She has also read for the Racial Justice Series at the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, Poetry at the Point and in the Poetry, Prose and Pints Series at Dressells Pub. Joy’s publications include Mahogany Magazine, Women in Black & White and Workshop II (edited by Shirley LeFlore), and Where we can read the wind (VSA Missouri 2011). She was also published in Safety Network, the newsletter of the Coalition for the Homeless.

Michael Castro is the co-founder of the literary organization and magazine, River Styx. He is a poet and translator, having published eight books of his own poetry and four books of Hungarian poets, co-translated with Gabor G. Gyukics. He has performed his work with many musicians in the United States and Europe and his collaborations can be found on seven CD’s. For fifteen years he hosted the radio program, Poetry Beat, on KDHX in St. Louis. He is the recipient of the Warrrior Poet Award, and Guardian Angel of St. Louis Poetry awards, both for lifetime achievement.

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6:00 – 7:00

Sonya Venerable is a current undergraduate student at Lindenwood University pursuing her BA in Mass Communications and graduating this spring. She has taken creative writing, advanced creative writing, creative non-fiction and has never recited any of her work outside of the classroom. She is VERY NERVOUS about speaking publicly and more so about sharing this particular piece. The prose piece, “For Little Girls Like Me,” is very personal and will hopefully inspire many women and young girls to make a social change in their lives.

Lightning (Kristy “Lightning” McKeown) is a poet, spoken word artist, producer, and model from St. Louis, Mo. She is well known for her spirited and passionate spoken word performances and her poetry contains uplifting and life-changing messages, particularly for young women, focusing on serious issues such as self-respect, empowerment, love, and promiscuity. She has performed at venues all over The St. Louis area, including Legacy Books & Cafe, Red Sea, Club Viva, St. Louis’ Finest Bar & Grill, Bar Italia, Black Label, and The Cigar Inn and has opened up for several comedic acts, including nationally acclaimed Comedian Michael Coylar.
Melissa Singleton is a South St. Louis poet. She organizes the Long River Poetry Collective and Fourth Thursdays Wordsmith nights at Soulard Art Market.
Shirley Bradley LeFlore is a poet, oral performing artist, educator and playwright. She served as an adjunct professor of women and ethnic literature at the University of Missouri and recently retired from Lindenwood University. LeFlore was one of the first artist/writers to work in the St. Louis public schools and has served as an artist-in-residence at various colleges and universities throughout the country. Her poetry has appeared in anthologies and magazines, and she recently published a book-length collection, Brassbones and Rainbows (4Leaf Press 2013). Leflore was also one of the original members of the Black Artist Group (BAG) in St. Louis during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Susan Trowbridge Adams is an award-winning poet, spoken word artist, author, and editor who has performed at The Couth Buzzard, Hugo House, and The Re-Bar in Seattle, and was a member of their Pit Crew Writer’s Group. She was featured at Café Mundo in Newport, OR, and often spends the winter rocking the stage at The Java Monkey in Decatur, GA (home of the “Southern Fried Slam”). She has also recited her work at many local venues including Dressel’s, The Cigar Inn, The Stone Spiral Coffee House, Seven Restaurant and Lounge, the Missouri History Museum, and the Regional Arts Commission.

Susan Spitfire Lively is a sci-fi writer, spoken word artist, producer, photographer, and educator. She’s a member if the Eugene B. Redmond Writer’s Club. Her work has appeared in “Head to Hand”, “The Pen”, “Chance Operations”, “The East St. Louis Monitor”, SIUE’s “Drumvoices Revue”, “No Vacancy”, “Static Movement”, and “Postcard Shorts”.

Anna Lum teaches Tai Chi (since 1973). She evolved from programming to poetry/design. The Urge to Play God, published by MoonShadow Press led to performing her poetry nationally and internationally. Volunteering excessively on numerous arts boards she was named St. Louis Woman of Achievement in cultural awareness in 2002.
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7:00 – 8:00
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St. Louis Poetry Center presents outreach poet educators:

Rennell Parker is the founder of the non-profit organization, Acts of a Random Thought in St. Louis, where he introduced the concept of “Poet-Ucation”. As an educator, mentor, motivational speaker and author he has hosted various poetry events and workshops for his peers and for young adults. He has spoken at Catholic Charities at Midtown, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the America’s Center, to name a few. Mr. Parker is also an adjunct instructor with the Bridge Program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His first publication of original poetry, Speak Up, Speak Out… Shout If You Have To!was self-published in May 2008 under the pen name, Random Thought.

Matthew Freeman continues to write about his experiences with a dual diagnosis and how those experiences affect language and mythos. Since beginning his recovery he has graduated from SLU, where he was twice given the Montesi Prize, and has had four books published. He is in the MFA program at UMSL and is Poet-in-Residence at Adapt, Missouri. Matthew leads workshops at the Metropolitan Psychiatric Center, Adapt Missouri, and the Warriors Arts Alliance.

Olivia Cook is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis where she earned a B.A. in Biology and a minor in creative writing. She will attend the Iowa Writer’s Workshop starting in the fall of 2013 to get her Masters of Fine Arts in Poetry. She currently lives and works in St. Louis. Olivia leads outreach poetry workshops with city youth.

Glendal Wallace is an essayist, poet, educator and mother of four. Her work has appeared in professional journals, anthologies, and poetry venues. “Unconnected Thoughts” was the original name of her first poetry “booklet” from her college days at PurdueUniversity. She became serious about writing professionally as the workshop coordinator for the Purdue University Haraka Writers Workshop. Teaching and writing are her passions and continue to serve as prompts for her work. From life, to students in the classroom; it all inspires her to write about a vast medley of topics that speak to the soul, as well as our society at large.

Meru Muadib began performing spoken word poetry in the fall of 1998, and has become one of the most popular spoken word artists in the St. Louis area. Known for his thought provoking phrases and outspoken criticism of oppression, he has developed a national following. He has performed in other major cities including New Orleans, (at the House of Blues, during the Essence Music Festival) Atlanta, Kansas City and Augusta. In 2004 he represented St. Louis in the National Poetry Slam held in St. Louis, and on two other occasions in the STL vs ATL poetry competitions. He is known for his spoken word contributions to the national rap music scene, including the hit song “A Call to Oneness”.
Meru has worked with the St. Louis Poetry center’s outreach programs since 2007.

Jason Vasser has served as Co-Director for Studio STL’s Wellston Book Project, How my life has been since I got older, and Pagedale’s Family Support Centers, Superhero Power Book. He enjoys using his poetry in the community to help mentor youth. He currently serves as the Coordinator for the Writers in the Schools Program for the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ English Department and serving as Graduate Assistant in the Gender Studies Program. Recent poems, “By Definition” and “Sons of Singleton”, appear in the Bellerive Literary Journal. He is pursuing his MFA degree in Creative Writing: Poetry at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and is coordinating the SLPC’s Poetry on the Plaza series for fall 2013.

Karen Smead Mondale is a long-time community activist and retired educator,kl2, and a member of the St. Louis Poetry Center and Loosely Identified, the women’s poetry workshop. She was the Editor of the St. Louis Poetry Center Newsletter from 2005 through 2008, and currently serves as the Private Workshops Planner for the St. Louis Poetry Center. Published in Breathing Out, an anthology released by Cherry Pie Press, the Mid Rivers Review, Flood Stage, and online publications, Riehlife and Winning Writers, she won Honorable Mention in the James Nash Poetry Contest in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2013 and was a finalist in the River Styx Poetry Contest in 2007 and 2008. She has given poetry readings in the River Styx series at Duff’s, at Genesis House, the Regional Arts Commission, the Focal Point, and Craft Alliance/Kranzberg Arts Center.

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Deborah Mashibini ‘s poetry has appeared in the 2013 edition of the St. Louis Black Pages, No Vacancy, Looseleaf Tea, Kaleidoscope Magazine, American Society: What Poets See, DrumVoices Revue, Untamed Ink, Riverbluff Review, Sestina: Six Women Poets, and The Harwood Anthology. She teaches as an adjunct instructor at Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, Missouri.

X-Blu Rayne Poets are songwriters, spoken word artist are performers, authors are literary artists, and speakers are catalysts. X Blu Rayne is the perfect combination of all four. Her poetry matches where you are, speaks on those hidden things never spoken, and gives insight and direction on who you want to be. Her poetry isn’t just words spoken to appeal to the ear, but they are solution based, emotionally driven, and written with the objective of speaking truths from the heart. She moves your frequencies and isn’t shy about speaking on anything to anyone at any time. She can shape your reality into words so that you can see yourself properly.

Ree Cee is a service writer, mother, domestic violence victims advocate, poetic activist and founder of Weekend Angels, a community outreach organization. As well, she writes for A Gurlz Guide, a LGBT Rights Network and speaks at conferences, rallies & symposiums on issues pertaining to homelessness, equality, HIV Awareness and eradicating violence. She just released her first chapbook “And Then What” in September, 2013.

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8:00 – 9:00

Sylvia Woods was recognized as Lindenlinks’, a student run news content website at Lindenwood University, as1st featured poet in June 2011. She graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Digital and Multimedia Studies. Sylvia has many faces; she’s a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a lover of the written word.

Aaron Williams is Founder and Champion of The 7th Grade Poetry Foundation, with a mission to create a writing revolution by giving all students the chance to have their poetic voices celebrated through 7GP’s school-based poetry contests. Aaron is a winner in the 2013 St. Louis Poetry in Motion contest.

Itshanapa (Dail Chambers) is a conceptual artist who works visually, creates happenings and writes. She has formerly been creating art as Dail Chambers with the mission of social access to the arts for all, with specific art work exploring identity.

Copasetic Soul is a 5’3 ball of blazin’ poetic energy who delivers classic literature channeling it back to it’s common folk roots. A member of two St. Louis National Poetry Slam teams and a highly recognized and acclaimed performance poet. Copesetic Soul can be seen strutting the stage of regional and national performance and literature arenas. Author of one chat book and one poetry cd.

Cris Gualberto first put pen to paper in 2007, and has written two collections of poetry – “Blossoms of the Fading World”, and “Amaryllis in Dreams”. He is in the process of creating a third book that is tentatively titled Alcestis. His poetry is an attempt to “explore the intersection of human perception with memory and the construction of identity through myth and the awareness of time”.

Maybe: Marsha Cann, Melissa Singleton and Zaire Imani

http://www.stlamerican.com/entertainment/living_it/article_778551b8-252b-11e3-9376-001a4bcf887a.html
100,000 Poets for Change St. Louis next Saturday

Shirley LeFlore
Posted: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 10:10 am

Poetry for Personal Power and the Yeyo Arts Collective will present 100,000 Poets for Change St. Louis! Saturday, Sept. 28 at GYA Community Arts, 2700 Locust Street, St. Louis 63103 (corner of Beaumont and Locust, one block west of Jefferson, one block north of Olive).

St. Louis’s own Poetry for Personal Power and Yeyo Arts Collective bring together a strikingly diverse array of poets and spoken word artists who will participate with thousands of poets from around the world, presenting simultaneously on Sept. 28 in a demonstration/ celebration of poetry, art and music to promote social, environmental, and political change.

Hundreds of cities representing over 100 countries are on the 100,000 Poets for Change map, participating through poetry readings, public demonstrations, community picnics, awareness events, parades, concerts, and more.
Come hear Aja LaStarr, who will serve as MC, along with Michael Castro, Shirley Bradley LeFlore, Ree Cee, Sylvia Woods, Maria Balogh, Aaron Williams, Matthew Freeman, X Blu Rayne, Anna Lum, Katie Bannister, Jason Vassar, Susan Spitfire Lively, Ruqayyah Bailey, Deborah Mashibini, JoyCe Blue, Outreach Poet Educators from the St. Louis Poetry Center and more!

Enjoy what might be the most diverse array of word artists presented in a single event this year: young, old, professional, first-time readers, academic, self-taught, widely published and spoken word/slam artists….. a sampling of all will be sharing their work. Free and open to the public! Donations to support the work of Yeyo Arts Collective encouraged.

For information email: dmashibini@gmail.com

Look/Listen
YOUR DAILY GUIDE TO ST. LOUIS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013 / 2:51 PM
BY STEFENE RUSSELL
The Biggest Poetry Reading in the World: 100,000 Poets For Change Comes to GYA Gallery This Saturday

Every year, on September 28, poets all over the country—and all over the world, from Albania to Wales—gather for marathon readings. (They let in a musician or three as well.) The event, 100,000 Poets For Change, was launched in 2011 as a “a demonstration/celebration of poetry, art and music to promote social, environmental, and political change.” That first year, organizers put together 700 events in 550 cities in 95 countries, making it the largest poetry event in history. It has become an annual occurrence, and every September, the map on the website is filled with pins marking picnics, parades, concerts, demonstrations and of course poetry readings happening all over the world.
10TPFC had a St. Louis event for the inagural year, and has continued to organize one every year since. This year’s reading is curated this year by poet Deborah Mashibini, and sponsored by Poetry for Personal Power andYeyo Arts Collective. The reading will be held at GYA, marking a change of venue for the event (it’s been held at Regional Arts Commission in years past).
This year’s emcee, Aja La’Starr, is a poet and spoken-word artist as well as a hip-hop artist, educator, and founder of IAMHIPHOPSTL, which celebrates women’s contributions to hip-hop culture. Poets include River Styx founder Michael Castro and Shirley Bradley LeFlore, formerly of the legendary Black Artists’ Group. Other participating poets and artists include Ree Cee, Sylvia Woods, Maria Balogh, Aaron Williams, Matthew Freeman, X Blu Rayne, Anna Lum, Katie Rodriquez Bannister, Jason Vassar, Susan Spitfire Lively, Ruqayyah Bailey, Sonya Venerable, Deborah Mashibini, JoyCe Blue, AD (Aireez DaRychuss), Lightning (Kristy “Lightning” McKeown), Rennell Parker, Olivia Cook, Glendal Wallace, Meru Muaddib, Itshanapa (Dail Chambers), Copasetic Soul, amd Cris Gualberto. As has been the case with the last two events, the lineup includes a huge range of artists: from young and first-time writers to established and widely published poets, slam poets to academics. The event is free and open to the public, though donations to GYA’s resident Yeyo Arts Collective are encouraged.
10PFC St. Louis Happens at GYA, 2700 Locust, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 28. For more information, visit 100tpcmedia.org/100TPC2012/category/united-states/missouri/st-louis.