Alyesha Wise

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]

Alyesha Wise
Alyesha Wise sitting on a coach, wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt rolled up at the belly, grey sweatpants and a black headwrap
Wise in 2018
BornCamden, NJ
OccupationPoet, Speaker, Teaching Artist
GenrePoetry
Notable worksCarnival

Awards
  • 2018 2nd place Da Poetry Lounge National Poetry Slam
  • 2014 Da Poetry Lounge Hollywood Grand Slam Champion[7]
  • Two-time Women of the World Poetry Slam finalist[7]
  • 2012 Queens Inspire Kings award presented by Kings Rule Together[12]
  • 2010 5th in the Women of the World Poetry Slam in 2010[13]

Carnival

Carnival was published by Not A Cult Media on May 30, 2018.[14][7]

Black Women Necessary

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]

Common themes expressed in Wise's poetry
  • Feminism[15]
  • African-American culture[16]
  • Self-love
  • Bodies and inherited trauma[17][18]
  • Social Justice[7]
  • Queerness[7]
  • Sexual assault[7]

Education

She attended Medical Arts High School and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Rowan College in Glassboro, N.J.

Notable performances
  • "We Will" with ACLU of Southern California[19]
  • "Raising Her By Raising Myself" TEDx[20]
  • "Cannibal (A Poem to White Supremacy)"[21]
  • "To This Black Woman Body, Part I"[20]
  • "A Story of My Love Affair With Prince"[22]
    • Originally performed at PhilaMOCA in Philadelphia for the TV show, Articulate on WHYY.

Personal life

Early life

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.

Adulthood

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]

Bibliography
  • Wise, Alyesha (2017). Carnival : A Book of Poetry. Not A Cult Press. ISBN 9781945649042.

References
  1. "The Continuous Clapback: The Legacy of Language". calendar.ucsd.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  2. "Alyesha Wise's Black Women Necessary is an intimate, chillaxing activism – Generocity Philly". Generocity Philly. April 27, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  3. Google Play (December 19, 2014), Interstellar Time Capsule Spotlight: Art, retrieved August 19, 2018 {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. "Alyesha Wise – "The Interview" spoken word (WOWPS 2016) | AFROPUNK". AFROPUNK. March 29, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  5. "Picture Perfect – Alysia Wise, by Apiary Magazine". Apiary Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  6. "Alyesha Wise on How to Love Your Black Woman Body-SRMagOnline". Soul Reflectionz. December 20, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  7. "L.A. Poet Spotlight: Alyesha Wise and Digesting Honest Pain Through Poetry ~ L.A. TACO". L.A. TACO. May 22, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  8. "5 Important Poets You Should Know About". Affinity Magazine. February 5, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  9. Johnson, Javon (July 17, 2017). Killing Poetry: Blackness and the Making of Slam and Spoken Word Communities. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813580036.
  10. Wilson, Kristian. "This Slam-Poetry VR Experience Takes You Around The World". Bustle. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  11. Howard, Ron (August 31, 2012). "Poet Ms. Wise. Very powerfulpic.twitter.com/OzGr2zEL". @RealRonHoward. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  12. PGN Staff. "Alyesha 'Ms.' Wise: Spreading love, ending hate through wise words". PGN | The Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  13. "Alyesha Wise: Poetry and Performance – FringeArts". FringeArts. April 17, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  14. "9 Poetry books that will rejuvenate your #BlackGirlMagic". 21ninety.com. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  15. Hatch, Jenavieve (August 25, 2016). "A Damn Gorgeous Poem About Passing Feminism Onto Our Daughters". HuffPost. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  16. Oliveros, Feli Nicole. "10 LA Slam Poets You Need To Know". Culture Trip. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  17. "Put it in a Poem: Waxing Poetic and Fighting Injustice Through Spoken Word". tsl.news. March 6, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  18. Garcia, Kelsey. "This Powerful Poem About Feminism and Motherhood Will Give You Chills". POPSUGAR Love & Sex. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  19. "We Will" by Alyesha Wise, retrieved January 23, 2020
  20. "Alyesha Wise Archives – The Moxie Bee". The Moxie Bee. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  21. "POETRY: Cannibal (a Poem to White Supremacy) by Alyesha Wise | AFROPUNK". AFROPUNK. February 27, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  22. "Poet Alyesha Wise Professes The Love We All Feel for Prince". shine.forharriet.com. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  23. "Alyesha Wise's Poem, "To This Black Woman Body, Part I" Will Give You Life". shine.forharriet.com. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  24. "FM May 10: Creativity for Community / Alyesha Wise / FemMag gifts – Feminist Magazine". feministmagazine.org. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
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