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Marcus started playing music at the age of 12 in a Lutheran church choir beside his loving mother Victoria. He is currently the percussionist in the award winning Xavier Marquis band. He was previously the bassist and vocalist in the bands We Are Awesome, Ron Band, and Dolphins of Tomorrow. Born Marcus Glay Kar in Liberian West Africa and raised in South Minneapolis, Marcus grew up with a wide range of music exposure, developing a great wide appreciation of music. Some of his influences include (but not limited to) Roky Erickson, A Tribe Called Quest, Eric B. & Rakim, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding and of course, Prince.

Chicago native Marie Chanté learned early on that stories are powerful and whether heard or unheard, everyone has one. As a child, her voice was sometimes hushed, but she knew writing would save her life. As an adult she stands on the stronger side of vulnerability and shares her joy of storytelling with all who will listen, through Spoken Word Poetry. She now lives in the Twin Cities with her three sons.

MIC101, also known as MICONE represents the Golden Era of Hip-Hop. Growing up in the heart of Chicago during the 1980s, he was immersed in all of the elements of the then emerging and awakening hip-hop Culture. MIC101 toured with DJ Kool Herc and Wise Intelligent of Poor Righteous Teachers. MICONE expanded his experience through academics, pursuing a BA in History and Statistics from the University of Minnesota—Morris. MICONE embodies the spirit of the hip-hop culture’s diversity as he tells his unique “from the streets to college” story through music and other forms of art.

Kyra Calvert: brown girl human, writer, and art historian. Accolades to mention, yet never worth mentioning. Recognition comes from a fictional god who is the spirit-child of Toni Morrison and Prince. Brown girl believes in real God, too. Known for never-ending wordplay and crooked faces. Respected for metaphors that come out in spit bubbles that resemble purple rain.

Born and raised in Englewood, Ca. Mayo Gardner, 22, began writing poetry at 9 years of age before moving to the Twin Cities. Tired of having emotions such as loss and grief built up inside, Mayo took to poetry as a means for a positive outlet. Seeing his talent early, a homegirl of Mayo’s asked him to promise her that he would take his writing seriously. You can say he’s holding up his end of the bargain.

Krysta Rayford a.k.a. K.Raydio was born in Evanston, Illinois, and moved to Minneapolis in grade school. Her mother was a singer and guitarist and her father was the son of a blues musician. Rayford graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2010 with a degree in Communication Arts. Shortly thereafter Rayford attended an Erykah Badu/Janelle Monae concert in Chicago, which inspired her to overcome her longtime stage fright and pursue her passion for music.

Featured performer Nehemiah is an up & coming comedian in the Twin Cities. He has shared the stage with both local and national artists. Get ready for the funny. Host Tish Jones, Community Engagement Director for the Saint Paul Almanac, is a spoken word artist, writer, educator, organizer, and activist in the Twin Cities. She received the 2009 Artist of the Year Award from City Pages and was Female Spoken Word Artist of the Year at the Minnesota Spoken Word Association’s Urban Griots Awards in 2009.

Kate Lynn Hibbard’s first book of poems, Sleeping Upside Down (Silverfish Press 2006), won the Gerald Cable Book Award. Her second collection, Sweet Weight, was released by Tiger Bark Press in 2012. She is editor of When We Become Weavers: Queer Female Poets on the Midwestern Experience (Squares & Rebels Press, 2012). Other honors include the Aestrea Foundation’s Lesbian Writing Finalist Award, a McKnight Artist Fellowship in Poetry, two Minnesota State Arts Board Initiative Grants, a Jerome Foundation Travel Grant, and residencies at Hedgebrook and the Cornucopia Arts Council.

Tim Blighton is a poet and musician. As president of the writers’ club at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, he helped publish “Quarter Mile from the Spoon & Cherry” a periodical of student and faculty writing. He hopes some day to win an paper airplane competition in Argentina. Tim currently lives in the East Phillips neighborhood with his wife Karen and their two orange tabbies.