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Fres Thao is an advocate for the Arts; believing Art is direct energy from the soul. As a Hip Hop pioneer of the Hmong American community, he has been an active lyricist, performer, producer and mentor since the early 90’s. Founding member of nationally dispersed Hip Hop group, Illegoaliens and Twin Cities based collective, Pupils of the Storm, Fres has released numerous albums, mixtapes and compilations including his recent full length album Mind Full Of. He was a recipient of the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative, accessing funds to create his “Mind Full Of” vinyl project; the first full length Hmong Hip Hop vinyl record album. He is in the process of writing an illustrated children’s poetry book.

RACBD is to create a “RONDO RENAISSANCE” on University Ave in St Paul (the Green Line – LRT) from Griggs to Rice Street. We are developing a Historic Rondo Arts, Cultural, and Heritage District to strengthen and expand the African American business community.  We want to leverage the legacy and history of the Rondo community to build a distinct business district that draws present visitors and new visitors to existing and new African American owned businesses on the Avenue! ASANDC’s current work on identifying and supporting the growth of arts and cultural destinations in Saint Paul forms the foundation for this project. This project is a tool to bring alive the idea of utilizing art and culture as a community and economic asset to bring benefits to and opportunities to enhance current African American businesses and promote the growth of new ones on the University Avenue (the Green Line).

brilyahnt peace is a North Minneapolis native, currently exploring the solar—stars and spirit. A former student of the University of Minnesota and a (soon exiting) member of Voices Merging, she is on an ongoing journey to grow, heal, and speak. Poetry is her meditation and lifeline. Truth is her seed. Peace.

Leah Clark is a solo acoustic artist that passionately writes her own music. She’s been playing guitar and writing songs for over five years now and is looking to break out of her shell to share her music with anyone that will listen. In her free time she likes to swing in the park, spend time with family and friends, and take naps with her cat, Walter.

“My love for words began in elementary. I’ve been in special poetry/writing groups since I can remember because I’ve always been an “above average writer”. I also grew up surrounded by hip hop—so becoming an MC was almost inevitable. Though Just Cause is my first official project, I have been recording/writing rhymes since I was 14. I am finally at a point in my life where I feel comfortable with who I am as an artist and can actually afford to put myself out there. Let’s be honest here, being an MC is expensive.”

Save the Kids (STK), founded in 2009, is an all-volunteer, national grass-roots organization dedicated to alternatives to, and the end of, the incarceration of all youth and the school to prison pipeline. STK is grounded in youth justice, transformative justice, and Hip Hop activism.

Tonight we honor the reason we are in the room! April is National Poetry Month and, tonight, we honor the poets. Bring your favorite poem or poem number seventeen in your 30/30 series or just listen as we fill the space with new, old, polished, and imperfectly perfect poems from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. It is going to be great!

From January to March 2014, over one hundred young Minnesotans were deeply engaged in the Be Heard MN Youth Poetry Slam Series, a program of TruArtSpeaks. The slam identifies six young people to represent the State of Minnesota in the international Brave New Voices Youth Poetry Slam Festival. Tonight, Soul Sounds Open Mic will host a few of the team members and engage with them about their experience as youth poets throughout the process, while also listening to and experiencing their art.