Suzi Q. Smith

Born January 14, 1979 in Denver, Colorado, Suzi Q. Smith is a Poet/Spoken Word Artist/Activist. She began writing poetry in her elementary years and by high school was participating in poetry readings and poetry slams. She began her career as an Activist working with civil rights organizations, and continued working as a community organizer and artist performing throughout the United States.

In 2000, Suzi Q. organized one of the largest events honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. in a march that included more than 30,000 participants. Her noted community work has also included work with the Urban League, the Denver Center for Crime Victims, the [Pan African Arts Society] , and many more.

Her poetry has been published in many formats, including a collection of poems entitled 'Walk Softly (and carry an a.k.), released to high acclaim from modern poetry critics. In 2006, she worked with Community Activist Ashara Ekundayo to found Slam Nuba, which quickly became one of the nation's most highly ranked poetry slams.

In 2007, she collaborated with Belgian group Psy'Aviah on their single 'Moments', which was one of the finalists in the BBC's 'Next Big Thing' Contest, and was later released on their [Alfa Matrix] debut, 'Entertainment Industries'. She also released a spoken word album entitled 'Picks, Pistols, and Prayers', featuring the title track dedicated to Huey P. Newton.

Currently, Suzi Q. Smith performs in schools throughout the United States and teaches creative writing workshops in many learning environments from schools to detention centers. Her second published collection of poetry is slated to be released in January 2009.

References

http://www.bbcworldservice.com/thenextbigthinghttp://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5703541,00.htmlhttp://www.poetryslam.com/http://www.penmanshipbooks.com/pb/wp_b6e99345/wp_b6e99345.htmlhttp://peraltapress.homestead.com/