Meilani Clay
Encyclopedia
Meilani Clay is a conscious writer, educator and poetry slam champion from the San Francisco Bay Area
, California
. She emerged as part of Youth Speaks, a youth performance poetry and creative writing program founded in 1996, and served on SPOKES (Selected-Poets-Organizing-Kreating-&-Expanding-Spoken Word), a Youth Advisory Board and paid internship program. Clay also taught in an academic enrichment program, formerly known as Summerbridge
National, which caters to urban youth with high potential but limited resources. She was a Bay Area
representative at the Ninth Annual Brave New Voices (BNV) International Youth Poetry Slam Contest in New York City. She performed at the Grand Slam Finals in the world famous Apollo Theater
and helped her team win the top prize. Clay has been hailed as one of the most promising voices of her generation—an agent of social change, and a teacher and inquiring learner by nature. Since Fall 2006, she has attended Howard University
in Washington, D.C. with a full scholarship.
. She performed a piece about questioning God, entitled "Lost."
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She emerged as part of Youth Speaks, a youth performance poetry and creative writing program founded in 1996, and served on SPOKES (Selected-Poets-Organizing-Kreating-&-Expanding-Spoken Word), a Youth Advisory Board and paid internship program. Clay also taught in an academic enrichment program, formerly known as Summerbridge
Summerbridge
Summerbridge may refer to:*Summerbridge, North Yorkshire, village in England*Breakthrough Collaborative, formerly Summerbridge National, educational programs in USA and Hong Kong...
National, which caters to urban youth with high potential but limited resources. She was a Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
representative at the Ninth Annual Brave New Voices (BNV) International Youth Poetry Slam Contest in New York City. She performed at the Grand Slam Finals in the world famous Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
and helped her team win the top prize. Clay has been hailed as one of the most promising voices of her generation—an agent of social change, and a teacher and inquiring learner by nature. Since Fall 2006, she has attended Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C. with a full scholarship.
Published Media
- Society, (2004). Bringing The Noise Vol. 4, vocal, writer. (Youth Speaks Inc./Hard Knock Radio)
- Loads, (2005). Bringing The Noise Vol. 4, vocal, writer. (Youth Speaks Inc./Hard Knock Radio)
- Search For Home, (2008). (self-published)
- Poetry Anthology, in production. (First Word Press)
Television
Meilani Clay was a featured poet on Episode 3 of the sixth season of HBO's Def PoetryDef Poetry
Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series presents performances by established spoken word...
. She performed a piece about questioning God, entitled "Lost."
Film
Clay is featured in 2nd Verse: The Rebirth of Poetry, a documentary/drama from director Carl Brown and Corduroy Media.External links
- Youth Speaks Official Site
- "Loads" Clay's Poem on Uth TV