• Christopher Massenburg
• University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Dasan Ahanu is an award-winning poet and performance artist, cultural organizer, educator, scholar and emcee based in Durham, North Carolina. He is an Alumni Nasir Jones Fellow at Harvard’s Hip Hop Archive and Research Institute, resident artist at the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation/Hayti Heritage Center and visiting lecturer at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He has performed across the country, appeared on national radio and TV, published four books of poetry, and been featured in various periodicals and released numerous recordings. He works with organizations and institutions to develop effective arts strategies to enhance their work in the community. Dasan is currently managing a grant funded initiative as the Rothwell Mellon Program Director for Creative Futures with Carolina Performing Arts at the UNC Chapel Hill. His scholarship is focused on critical writing, creative writing, Hip Hop and popular culture.

Boris “Bluz” Rogers is an Emmy Award winning poet and performing artist, the Director of Creative Engagement for Blumenthal Performing Arts, and a multi-time poetry slam champion. His poetry is universal, dismantling social, economic, and ethnic barriers while reaching into the heart of the community. Bluz has been able to use his words, writing and voice to work with several organizations such as the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, The National Museum of African American Music, Junior Achievement, Wachovia, CBS Radio, Radio Disney, Raycom Sports, ESPN and SPEED TV, where he wrote and performed several intros for NASCAR.

 

Speaking In:

• Performances – Christopher Massenburg, Gwen Moten