Alyesha Wise | |
---|---|
![]() Wise in 2018 | |
Born | Camden, NJ |
Occupation | Poet, Speaker, Teaching Artist |
Genre | Poetry |
Notable works | Carnival |
Alyesha Wise, aka "Ms. Wise" is a poet, teaching artist [1] and co-founder of Spoken Literature Art Movement (S.L.A.M). [2] [3] From Camden, N.J., Alyesha currently resides in Los Angeles where she also serves as a teaching artist for Street Poets, Inc. She previously served as the head coach of Da Poetry Lounge's slam team and a co-coach for the Get Lit Youth slam team. [4] [5] [6] Wise co-founded and was a co-host of The Pigeon Presents: The Philadelphia Poetry Slam. She has been featured in a speaking engagement on the TEDx Talk series in which she dedicated the talk to her younger sister and Camden. While in Philadelphia, Wise was a co-host of Jus Words, [7] the longest running weekly open mic in the city at the time. She also founded the organization Love, Us, a Philadelphia-based organization and annual production which worked to spread unity and self-love through the arts. The production was a large attraction in the Philadelphia poetry scene and a Twitter trending topic in 2010. She is currently the founder and organizer of Black Women Necessary, a safe space for black women. Wise also served as a former teaching artist and volunteer coordinator at New Earth, and continues to teach and mentor in Los Angeles youth detention centers. [8] In 2017, she authored the book, Carnival. [9] [10] Ron Howard once said about Alyesha's performance style, "Very Powerful." [11]
Carnival was published by Not A Cult Media on May 30, 2018. [14] [7]
The group hosts frequent free of charge brunches as a part of an informal brunch. The meal switches locations and is usually held at a members home (as long as they have attended at least two brunches in the past). Members can make donations, but the event is free and is held to honor ancestors and relax. [2]
She attended Medical Arts High School and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Rowan College in Glassboro, N.J.
Wise is originally from Camden, New Jersey. [23] She has five siblings (Wise is the second oldest girl) and was raised mostly by her mother. Her parents got divorced when she was five. [7] After watching Poetic Justice, at age 11, she wrote her first poem titled, "Black History." [13] [24] Her favorite book as a child was Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.
She moved to Philadelphia in 2006. Wise identified as a lesbian for eight years, and has had relationships with women. At the moment, she is married to a man and thus identifies as bisexual. [12]
A poetry slam is a competitive art event in which poets perform spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. While formats can vary, slams are often loud and lively, with audience participation, cheering and dramatic delivery.
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