Freedom Speaks Diaspora was born and raised in Long Island, New York, Freedom Speaks Diaspora is an author, mentor, and poet. She has opened for Def Poetry Jam on Broadway at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre, appeared on Robert Townsend’s “Spoken” on The Black Family Channel, performed at “Girls in the Night” during Atlanta’s Black Pride, lectured and performed at dozens of colleges and universities and taught creative writing and publishing courses at College of Coastal Georgia. Diaspora has worked as a freelance writer for The Florida Times-Union’s River City News and River Bend Review, her work has been published in The African Journal of New Poetry, and other fiction has been published under other names. Her debut novel, Manjani, blends Black Studies with Urban Fiction, for a unique style of edu-tainment. Diaspora is alumni of Mercy College in New York, and her academic background is in English and Behavioral Science with a Specialization in Community Health….
I had always been great at creative writing, impressing my English teachers throughout my entire school career. I won awards for it, published in school publications, and wrote dynamic essays. Years later, I would become a full-time poet based on attending readings and enjoying other poets, and wanting to express myself and impact people the way they did. My co-worker and friend, Malikah Hameen, whom I met working at Bank of America’s EquiCredit (sub-prime mortgage division) invited me out to a poetry reading and I got hooked. I fell in love with the work and style of Taalam Acey, Queen Sheba, L.I.F.E., Lizz Straight, Will Da Real One, Heru, Khafra, and so many more. So I wrote some fire poems, recorded them, sold some CDs, wrote two poetry books, and performed everywhere. .. (click here for full interview)
