Shangwe’s Featured Poet Biographies:

• Achilles
• Bisi Akinola
• Zara Bailey
• Patricia Foster
• Nicola Greenwood
• Julia Hendricks
• Louise Hercules
• Metis
• Hyacinth Myers
• Janett Plummer (aka Melted Demerara)
• Grace Quansah (aka Akuba)
• Steve Rock
• Talent
• Dimela Yekwai

Achilles
Achilles is a North Londoner who, along with his alter ego Alien, composes poetry on life as they see it. Initially Achilles wrote poetry as a form of expression and release for himself until a few friends talked him into performing at a poetry night and as a result of further encouragement from the promoters, he hasn’t looked back since. Achilles has performed at Poetry N Motion and has also taken part in poetry slams at Farrago Poetry. He is currently working on producing a CD and hopes to have his work published.

Bisi Akinola
Bisi was born in 1972 in Derby and completed an American Studies degree at Wolverhampton University. She began to write poetry at the age of thirteen. Her work has been published in the Voice Newspaper, several anthologies including Brown Eyes and various internet poetry sites. She is presently teaching English to refugee and asylum seekers in London.

Zara Bailey
Zara has been writing for as long as she can remember; writing is her life – she breathes through her pen nib. Zara is currently studying English with Creative Writing at Brunel University and hopes to have some of her work published in the future and possibly teach creative writing. Zara’s birth mother was Asian Pakistani and her father was Kenyan. Her adopted parents are white British; many of the strong influences in her life have been African and Caribbean women.

Patricia Foster
A writer, performer and actress, Patricia Foster draws on sharp narrative and vivid imagery to explore the epiphanies of everyday life captured in her insightful, emotive poetry and short fiction. Founding member and graduate of Malika’s Kitchen, Patricia keeps extending her creative talents. She is also a design graduate, workshop facilitator, educator and African dancer. Patricia’s work appears in many anthologies including Brown Eyes. Patricia has participated as a poet-judge at the ‘Charles Edward Brook’ School slam. Patricia was also host and facilitator of the 2003 Black History ‘Poetry Jam with Open Mic’ at Greenwich University.

Nicola Greenwood
Nicola is a Bristol born London dweller who would like to reveal the carvings of her perception in poetry. She started writing as a child, on everything from the wallpaper hidden behind her wardrobe to napkins at dinner. In sharing her work with others, she found a positive response. A love of language combining the beauty and confusion of words grew to more than just a creative release but somewhere to pen her experiences of life.

Julia Hendricks
Julia is a writer, poet and part-time drama queen. She’s been writing seriously for 3 years and has been performing her work for over a year. Julia relocated to London from Birmingham in 2001 to pursue her dreams of being a creative artist. She has been a regular feature at Hackney’s Speakeasy and at Word 4 Word, Stratford Theatre Royal. She has also performed at Loose Muse, The Cellar, and Angel Poetry. She is currently working towards her first publication with a collectionof poems and a debut novel called Pieces of a Woman.

Louise Hercules
Louise is a South East London based artist who describes her drive for writing poetry as ‘an ode to the intricate pleasures which thrive from our torrid love affair with the word.’ Previously published in Brown Eyes (2005, Celebrations – 15 Years of The Peoples Poetry (2005), Pride Magazine (Nov 2005). Louise has also participated in the SPIT-LIT literary festival 2006.

Metis
Metis is a lyricist that transcends stereotypes and defies boundaries. The focus of his work is as wide ranging as it is captivating; traversing the spectrum from race to self-identity to relationships, all unified by a philosophy, which is both deeply introspective and personal. His passionate delivery is coupled with an innate and authentic individualism - the effect leaves enquiring minds un-stuck from the sand. Although only in his first year as a spoken word artist, Metis is already the recipient of significant critical acclaim.

Hyacinth Myers
Hyacinth Myers is a 34 year old graduate and mother of two sons. Born to an English mother and Jam aican father, Hyacinth grew up and still lives in Hackney, London. Hyacinth writes m ainly poetry; previously published in anthologies including Brown Eyes and in Journals. More recently she has performed at poetry readings. Her ultimate literary aim is to get a number of books published in different genres.

Janett Plummer
Janett Plummer (aka Melted Demerara) is an evocative, playful skilled writer who is also an accomplished performer and multi slam winner. Let her rich chocolate tones wash over you and seduce your senses as you enter her world. She is featured in many anthologies and will be in the forthcoming Storm between Fingers book, which is to be launched in June 2007. Her own poetry collection will be published later in 2007. An active member of Malikas kitchen - and a super dupa woman in the making, she has performed at The Tate, Barbican, Poetry Cafe, Paradiso ( Amsterdam), Recreation Rooms ( Chicago). Janett is also the founder of Inspired Word a women’s writing collective.

Grace Quansah (aka Akuba)
An experienced lecturer in college/universities since 1988, Akuba simultaneously began enchanting audiences from 1997, with African-centred performance storytelling. She creates her own folktales and enjoys writing poetry. Having had academic papers, poetry and conference reports published, she sees herself as an ‘all rounder’. Her proudest achievements are being awarded ‘ Aspiring Female Storyteller’ by Black Women in the Arts, 2006, and 2007, and winning a writing competition, judged by Random House Children’s Books and Malorie Blackman, both, 2006. She is a freelance facilitator at the British Museum. A single mother of four children, she is passionate about empowering black learners to achieve highly in education.

Steve Rock
The Inspirational Poet and Wordsmith for the 21 st century, Steve Rock is a man that walks his talk; he firmly believes that dreams are meant for living and promotes this message through his writing, talks and music. Steve is a prolific writer, performer and creator and has film treatments and treatments for TV shows currently in circulation. Steve is an inspired author and poet. He produces monthly pieces of uplifting and thought provoking writing, which is now in circulation worldwide and subscribers to the message are growing each day. To hear and read some of Steve Rock’s work, visit www.abookofchanges.com

Talent
With a degree in English Literature, along with a year’s acting in the States, Talent has grown up in the entertainment and literary businesses. He mixes drama with slam poetry, rapping with spoken word to perform in a style very much his own. He has been on the Spoken Word Circuit for a little over a year, and has performed at the Farrago Slam and reached the semi-finals of the UK Unsigned competition. His motto and maxim is “Strength and Love above all things, Truth and Justice till the End of Our Days.”

Dimela Yekwai
Dimela Yekwai is a storyteller and poet who uses the word to celebrate our personal and collective identities. Dimela has been writing for many years and likes to write about themes she would like to read herself. Dimela teaches and runs workshops in various educational institutions. She would like to use her art as a full time career. Dimela has performed in many community venues and theatres including the Kenneth More Theatre in Ilford and the Hackney Empire, London.