NEXT SHOW: as follows

RE-CONNECTING the SLAM Dots between Brave New Voices (BNV) and THE National Poetry Slam (NPS) International COMPETITIONS

FOR ME---PART OF THE REASON WHY I FIND MYSELF RETURNING YEAR AFTER YEAR TO COMPETE THROUGH THE ART OF SLAM POETRY IN THE NATIONAL LEVEL IS BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE EXPERIENCE GOES WELL BEYOND THE COMPETITION. MY EXPERIENCE AT THE 12TH ANNUAL BRAVE NEW VOICES HELD IN CHICAGO, WHICH WAS ALSO MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AT A BNV, SHOWED ME THAT ALL OF OUR EXPERIENCES WITH SLAM HAS CLEARLY GONE WELL BEYOND BEING JUST A COMPETITION. IT IS A TRUE CONVERSATION CONNECTING A COMMUNITY OF POETS. THE MOMENT WE FIND A WAY TO EFFICIENTLY AND VISIBLY LINK BNV WITH THE COLLEGIATE TO NPS WE WILL HAVE TRULY MOBILIZED A REVOLUTION WITH THE SYNERGISTIC CAPABILITIES OF EVANGELIZING THE SPOKEN WORD MEDIUM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. NOTHING ELSE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THIS GENRE. WE FINALLY HAVE THE PIECES TO MAKE THIS MOVEMENT FIT SOMETHING INCREDIBLE AND SO MUCH BIGGER THAN ANY OF US INDIVIDUALLY. I BELIEVE IN THIS. I HAVE BECOME A WITNESS TO THE GROWTH. I AM CONSTANTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING. I AM A PARTICIPANT. I HAVE BECOME A MENTOR. I AM A BELIEVER IN THE IMPORTANCE FOR US TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER AS NECESSARY VOICES FOR THE GREATER GROWTH AND INTEGRITY OF THE MOVEMENT. WE MUST KEEP IT FRESH AND THE EXISTENCE OF THESE THREE MAJOR components PROVIDES AN UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL REALITY CHECK TO BALANCE THE PASSION, THE FUN, AND THE SOCIALLY ACTIVE AND ENERGIZED PROFESSIONALISM OF SPOKEN WORD POETRY.

-Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo
10X consecutive competitor
at the National Poetry Slam

Iyeoka will be representing Boston this summer competing on the 2009 Lizard Lounge Team at the 20th Annual National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, FL from August 3-8th

12th Annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival

Youth Speaks Inc., the nation’s leading spoken word organization, is proud to present, in partnership with Columbia College of Chicago & Young Chicago Authors, the 12th annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival.

Convening the top young poets and spoken word artists, aged 13-19, from across the United States and beyond, Brave New Voices is a one-of-a-kind festival that truly engages everyone involved; from the participants, to the adult mentors and the audience members. Each year, Brave New Voices is held in a different city, highlighting the changing demographics of the country and a new poetic and politic for the 21st Century. For the second time, the six-day festival will be held in Chicago.

Brave New Voices 2009 features over 500 Teen Poetry Slam Champions from 45 parts of the country and 5 additional cities from across the globe, representing over 50,000 young poets in their local communities. These young writers are a diverse, creative, intelligent group of trendsetting community and cultural leaders. They come to Brave New Voices each year not only to compete, but to attend world-class workshops led by renowned poets and writers, participate in youth development programs, and highlight the voices of a new generation of leadership.

Following the April airing of the HBO special Brave New Voices – which filmed youth from across the country as they prepared for, and participated in, Brave New Voices 2008 in Washington DC – the festival in Chicago will be the largest, most high-visible Brave New Voices yet.

The 5-day festival features 25 events across Chicago, from July 14-19, in community-based theaters, major performance venues, public spaces and college campuses.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION FEATURING IYEOKA IVIE OKOAWO
Art AS LIfE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
BRAVE NEW VOICES 2009 CHICAGO

Workshop Description:
Living as a professional artist takes initiative and perseverance. If we are to survive doing what we love we must first find the avenues and pathways to succeed within it.
ART AS LIFE is a new PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM that introduces youth poets to the ins and outs of creating a viable foundation into navigating potential future income streams and career opportunities in spoken word. This workshop will give access to resources for individual art funding, a comprehensive “cheat-sheet” for establishing a strategic professional resume, and information on expanding your artistic profile and repertoire beyond the “slam”. Drawing from roundtable discussions, research on best practices in the spoken-word field, and artists' on-the-ground experience, this workshop incorporates a step-by-step overview of the topic, partner exercises and case studies. We will present “the process of becoming”, putting your art into action (ie: teaching, mentoring, project development etc), and working through the social/familial/political challenges of a career as an artist. Handouts will include University slam resources, a Find Your Approach list to begin framing your career strategy, and quick tips for building your support group.
Led by IYEOKA IVIE OKOAW & MATT GANO

BRAVE NEW VOICES 2009 SCHEDULE
===================================
OPENING CEREMONY
Tuesday July 14, 2009
5pm to 7pm
Art Institute of Chicago
112 S Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
===================================
AFTER DARK ACTIVITIES
Tuesday July 14, 2009
Multiple Locations
YCA PRESENTS: WORDPLAY
Tuesday July 14, 2009
7:30pm to 10pm
Barnes and Nobles
1 East Jackson St.
Chicago, IL
Hosted by FM SUPREME & Shadell Jamison
FEATURING; DEJA K. TAYLOR, SHANNON MATESKY, GEORGE WATSKY, JOSHUA BENNETT, ALEXIS MARIE, ALYSIA HARRIS, MILES HODGES, MELANIE AKA GEORGE, LTAB COLLEGE SLAM TEAM * Special performance by Purpose of Life
_______________________________________________________

Columbia College Chicago: 8 – 10pm
623 S. Wabash- Coaches Meeting
731 Plymouth Court- Peoples Championship Qualifier
618 S. Michigan-Peoples Championship Qualifier
618 S. Michigan- Contest Workshops
618 S. Michigan- Networking Activity(Cyber Café)

Columbia College Chicago: 10 – 12am
623 S. Wabash- Late Night Open Mic
731 Plymouth Court- Peoples Championship Qualifier
618 S. Michigan- Peoples Championship Qualifier
618 S. Michigan- BNV Future Corps Workshop
618 S. Michigan- Cyber Cafe
===================================

===================================
WRITING WORKSHOPS
Wednesday July 15, 2009
9am to 2pm
Columbia College Chicago
33 E. Congress and 623 S. Wabash.
Chicago, IL 60603
*Registration for these Writing Workshops takes place on Tuesday, July 14th at the Festival Check-in table.
===================================
OPENING PLENARY
Wednesday July 15, 2009
9am to 10am
Art Institute of Chicago
112 South Michigan
Chicago, IL
===================================
NATIONAL TOWN HALL MEETING
Wednesday July 15, 2009
3pm to 5pm
Art Institute of Chicago
112 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
===================================
FIRTS WAVE/KUUMBA LYNX
Wednesday July 15, 2009
7pm to 9pm
618 S. Michigan
Chicago , IL 60605
===================================
SPEAK GREEN POETRY SLAM
Wednesday July 15, 2009
7:30pm to 9:30pm
Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies
610 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
===================================
AFTER DARK ACTIVITIES
Wednesday July 15, 2009
9:30pm to 12am
Multiple Locations

Columbia College Chicago: 10 – 12am
731 Plymouth Court- Peoples Championship Quarters
623 S, Wabash- Peoples Championship Quarters
618 S. Michigan- MC Olympic Quali Fire
618 S. Michigan- Future Corps Workshop(Pre Registration Required)
618 S. Michigan- Cyber Café Open Mic (Space is Limited)
===================================
QUARTERFINALS
Thursday July 16, 2009
9:30am to 11:45am

Poetry In Motion at Esalen

Making her 4th appearance at the Esalen Institute, Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo accompanied by musician David Franz will be presenting an Artistic Offering of empowering poetry and music. Iyeoka is one of the leading presenters of this hybridized genre of music intertwining spoken word. Themes for the evening will include work from her newest Cd and her latest collection of poetry that speaks of her learning journey's to Oaxaca Mexico, Hawaii and to her homeland of Nigeria.

The Esalen Institute is a center in Big Sur, California, in the United States, for humanistic alternative education and a nonprofit organization devoted to multidisciplinary studies ordinarily neglected by traditional academia. Esalen offers more than 500 public workshops a year in addition to invitational conferences, residential work-study programs, research initiatives, and internships.


"Iyeoka embodies such a unique gift, which she beautifully and willingly shares. It is the gift of transmuting one's personal experience into a collective expression of the human condition. She bears witness to experience with her riveting presence, her vulnerability, her joy and her sublime artistry. Her voice stirs the soul to remember what it is to be human and we become connected to all other human beings through her stories and songs."

Margaret Wheatley, author, "Leadership and the New Science" and many other writings

IYEOKA IVIE OKOAWO RECEIVES REVIEW FROM Page and Stage EVENT @ ACADEMY OF MUSIC IN NORTHAMPTON

Yesterday’s Spoken Word: Page and Stage, put on by the Northampton Arts Council as part of their Four Sundays in February series, was a variety show at its best.

The three headliners were US Poet Laureate Richard Wilbur and slam poets Taylor Mali and Iyeoka Okoawo. They were joined by members of the Hampshire Slam Collective and UMass MFA candidates. By sharing the stage with each other they implied respect for one another. It was a beautiful thing.

Iyeoka Okoawo performed with a strong, honest voice and powerful imagery. Richard Wilbur read regally. ...

I attended the event to support the poetry community – and there was a great showing, as the Academy of Music was nearly filled by several hundred people. Thanks to all who made the show possible!

Posted by Kat Good-Schiff at 12:50 PM

The Return of Hip-Hop's Slick Rick to Boston at Harpers Ferry and The Rise of The Rock by Funk Tribe

New LIVE Video

Iyeoka and the ROCK BY FUNK TRIBE LIVE @ THE ALCHEMIST LOUNGE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS:
Once a month @ The Alchemist the Rock by Funk Tribe take the stage and showcase for the locals and the loyals providing LIVE music, Poetry, and enough moments to remember to last till the next one. This video features Iyeoka on vocals, Steve Desrosiers on guitar, Mark Purrington on drums, and honorary funk Tribers Kyle Higgins on bass, and Regie Gibson on congos.

Anyone for AUSTIN?

Phanai Entertainment Group Featured Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo of \"Diva Dictions\" joins rost... October, 2008 @ 1888PressRelease.com

Press Release: Phanai Records

"Poetry just fits so perfectly into our current mainstream vernacular.
A brief break in the momentum of the jazz-based spoken word beat poetry that preceded the rapping in hip hop music period forced it underground," says Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo, a Nigerian-American writer who exchanged her comfortable career as a health care professional Pharmacist to follow her life and spirit calling her to pursue a career as a spoken-word poet and nu-jazz vocalist.

Iyeoka is one of a number of full time driven performance poets who are championing the spoken-word scene, and proving that poetry can smack a power punch on a bigger stage than the coffeehouses the genre has sprouted from since the turn of the millennium thanks to opportunities such as Def Poetry Jam on HBO and National Slam Poetry Competitions.

Access Iyeoka's complete Electronic Press Kit Here

Promo video,performance schedule,high res. pictures, press quotes ect.

View Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo & the Rock by Funk Tribe's EPK

LECTURES & PERFORMANCES

the ART as LIFE LECTURE Series

This message is for you…
from the college student to the working class professional
I hope you’re still making plans to live your passion!

-Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo

This lecture is geared towards college students in the budding stages of their boundless careers in art! Have you considered planning ahead on how to live your dream after college? The process begins now. This incredible workshop/lecture presentation showcases the 101 know how on HOW to make your dreams of living and breathing your art a reality.

Iyeoka holds a pharmacy degree from Northeastern University and is a Registered Pharmacist. 3 years ago Iyeoka transitioned her life-style from full time retail pharmacist to full time performance poet. Find out how she did it, why she loves it, and how you can find a way to live your passion too!

for booking info on this lecture series or other presentations offered

please contact bookingiyeoka@gmail.com

Limited offer of $5 to Download our music!!!

Hi Friends,

We just started selling our music on AmieStreet.com, and to kick
things off they are giving our fans $5 to download our music.

All you have to do is click on the link below to get $5 to download
our music. As independent artists, your support and comments makes a HUGE difference in our chances to generate possible coorporate support and funding.

Just click the link below and you'll be all set!

http://amiestreet.com/_l/cdbabygift

----------------------------------------------------------
one last huge favor is that after u check out the albums u jump on itunes and leave a review of the album there too.

Best in love,

Iyeoka

Hello Friends,

We've just finished putting the near final touches on our Facebook Music Page and we couldn't be more excited to have you guys check it out.

View Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo's FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

This is our way of getting in touch with everyone and inviting them into our world. You can become a fan and stay connected, know when all our shows are, what we've been up to, check out photos, videos and mp3s.

We're so pumped right now!

We just uploaded a handful of new recordings from a live radio show we did in Honolulu last week.

Thanks so much for you love & support,
be.well
Iyeoka

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

National Performance Network and NCCC Grant Funds Boston Poet, Iyeoka to Speak the Word in Hawaii

Zap Mama Returns to Boston to headline at the Paradise Rock Club Saturday 28th, 2008

IYEOKA and The ROCK by Funk TRIBE opens for ZAP MAMA

SATURDAY June 28th 2008
THE PARADISE ROCK CLUB
Doors:8pm
18+
$22


click the title for tix purchase.

Find me Here.

We embrace the idea that if you stand somewhere long enough someone will find you, if you say something loud enough someone will hear you, if you desire a moment strong enough the universe will gratefully grant it to you. Find me here and I will speak with you of the word that speaks through me. -Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo

 

May 30th @ The Milky Way

 

Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo, The Cloud Foundation and Opera Boston are teaming up to create an opera workshop for teens based on music from the opera Carmen

Iyeoka joins Grammy Award celebrities to sing Bono and U2 songs to raise money for The Global Fund

U2 Compilation In The Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 ignites major ripples in a Nigerian girl

IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
3/14/08

Iyeoka is a Nigerian Girl with an African violet in her hair.
She wants to go back home.
Mother calls her from a Nokia cell phone in Benin City every Tuesday.
Mama says, “we miss you baby girl, when will you visit us again?”

“I’ll be home soon mommy, first I need to get to the Notable Productions studio and record this U2 “Desire” song for the Africa Celebrates U2 compilation.”

Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo states that she has always had a simple goal to somehow change the
world one poem at a time. Little did she know she would be granted the opportunity of a lifetime to contribute to a track on an unprecedented release of Shout! Factory’s newest project "In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2". On April 1, 2008, Shout Factory is slated to unveil an album celebrating the music, culture and future of Africa, paying homage to Bono and U2 for their ongoing humanitarian relief efforts aiding her beloved continent.

“It is such an incredible honor to be included in an album with my fellow countrymen Tony Allen and Keziah Jones. I have followed Keziah’s work for some time now and my father is a long time fan of Tony Allen since the days he played with Fela. So to now be associated publicly with artists I have looked up to like Angelique Kidjo and legendary Vusi Mahlasela…even to see my name and picture in the same album booklet is a surreal experience.”

Iyeoka lends her talents to a song with the African Underground All-Stars featuring Optimus from The Foundation Movement and Sierra Leone rapper, Chosan in this song called Desire. The album will be released April 1, 2008 on Sony BMG.

"Desire" is the lead single from U2's 1988 album, Rattle and Hum. It was their first #1 single in the UK.

Africa Celebrates U2/ In The Name of Love

Check out Iyeoka's performance with the African Underground All-Stars delivering a fresh hip-hop cover of U2's "Desire". The album which features covers from both Grammy Award Winning African artists and up and coming artists includes U2 covers from Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians, and Keziah Jones.

http://www.africacelebratesu2.com/

if i didnt know better than i would have to believe...

 

www.iyeoka.com

http://www.myspace.com/iyeoka

---

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

FESTIVALS, CONFERENCES, PROMOTERS, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES-Booking /Press Inquiries

Iyeoka is currently available for booking in 2008.
contact: Phanai Entertainment
bookingiyeoka@gmail.com

Catch Iyeoka on Television PBS (WGBH)!!!

Watch Iyeoka as the poetry expert on:
Episode 216 of FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman
Episode Titled:
"How to Get Dogs and Doggerel in Better Shape"

Iyeoka coaches the cast member how to write poetry.

Original Air Date 6/21/07
The Episode will air again on Monday 10/8/07 at 12:00pm (noon)
(channel 217 WGBXDT4)

photo by Michael Perez 2007

a BOSTON GLOBE mention on "QUICK PICKS"

QUICK PICKS

By Nick A. Zaino III


Monday nights through Oct. 1, the Paradise Lounge is the place to catch local soul, funk, and hip-hop with the Soul Power Tour '07. You could squabble and say it's not really a tour, but it does show off some under-appreciated talent from the local scene. Tonight at 7, it's Iyeoka Okoawo, whose inspiring, lyrical grooves bring to mind Lauryn Hill; R&B singer/songwriter Rob Murat from New York, who could play her ; and local blues drummer/vocalist Short'y Billups. You can also hear Okoawo on "Next On the Mic," a new collection from the Poetry Jam Collective and Rounder Records. 18+. Tickets: $8. Paradise Lounge, 969 Commonwealth Ave., 617-562-8800. thedise.com