The Board’s Mission

The Board is a collective of young adults working together to cultivate momentum throughout the city to provide our citizens, young and old, with equal opportunity to education, self expression and personal development in a positive space. Guiding our work is love, inclusion, appreciation and continuation of lineage, art and growth. We come from all walks of life and have a dedication to leadership, fellowship and sharing our testimony to help following generations and the future of our people. We plan to achieve this using mentorship, professional training, events, partnership, outreach and a commitment to health and wellness of our minds, bodies, and souls.

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Its that time again!! Brave New Voices International Teen Poetry Slam is where I got my start and I’ve tried to be involved ever since. Moving on from being a youth champion myself into one of the youngest teaching artist around I will be with them in LA this year!!! Above is a clip Ms. Iyoka, who I had the chance to host with last year posted. Check it out.

This year I’ve been invited to be Future Corps, a group selected to help lead the youth through activities of the week. All of us chosen, were once slammers and now amazing leaders in the field. I am so excited to see over 500 fly kids get together for top of the line spoken word competition, all night ciphers, and pure genius.  These kids are full of passion and innovation so I cant wait to see what they have to say this year. I will be leading them in workshops as well as hosting their bouts so I will be blessed to hear them. Cant wait.

I think I want to go over seas, sow some seeeds. Fall in love and leave someone heartbroken. I want to write love letters and leave them for the locals. In English, so they are puzzled by the mystery. Africa should call me home and rename me. China should teach me the importance of life and the secret to healing ones self. I wanna tag monuments. Pee in toilets I don’t understand. Sing on Mountains high hoping to reach God. And pray. In and out of churches. Without language. Then I wont mind being foreign.

Mother

Out of all the things you’ve given me

I wish you held this one back

I break my back over and over

bending over and over

my insatiable need for flesh

Legend has it

That it’s in our blood

To fuck like rabbits

And have babies

So I pop birth control pills like tic-tacs

Pray as if I’m Christian

Cry away images of skin

But still end up wanting it

Dear Lord,

I wish I did not Lust

Ashe

Ah Ah Shay

They whisper, scream, yelp

I cant help but love it

Makes my face heat up

Ears tickle

And tongue go numb

I have been the cause for crazy

As I’m sure you were

And all the hers in our family tree

Like strands of hair off Eve

We have fell victim to temptation

Spewing ropes of passion to trap em

Catch em in between our toes

Thighs

Eyes

Mama,

I wish mine weren’t Grey

Blue

Green

Of fresh female venom

Addictive to the animistic hunger of need

I do not want to solve the mysteries of

Bashful Bisexual Male fantasies

Confused Androgynous Lesbians

Or Lost Boys

I can’t confirm a treasure map

Will come combined to my seed

I know I’m good

But they say shit they don’t mean

When they are in between feeling great

And I’m in between

Feeling used again

And used to gain for them

Just a casualty

Warm only for a second

or a few hours

Been given a gift to cast a spell

That don’t keep

And mama,

I don’t want to be temporary