At the beginning of this year, I was waking up at 4 am every night.  Because I value my sleep, I would lay there and stubbornly will myself back to slumber. I was determined that this weird insomnia would not leave me tired for the coming day. I had things to do. People routinely asked […]

(photo credit Richard Grzelka) I’ll be performing “Who Is Sam Blow?” the original poem I composed about Dred and Harriet Scott, enslaved ancestors who sued for their freedom, on two occassions in Memphis: June 10th at The Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library And June 11th at The Crosstown Arts Green...

Late in 2022 I finally started the non-profit that I had always dreamed of. THE COMMUNITY ARCHIVE centers African American oral history collection and its mission is to “serve as a platform for arts education and a repository for collected creative wisdom.” A few months ago we secured our first g...

A couple of weeks ago I moderated a panel discussion between artists about how art can create social change. The disciplines represented included musicians, vocalist, and dancers. The producer complimented me and said it was the best panel that he had ever attended. I replied, “In order to be int...

I will be turning 52 this year and I still get anxious when people ask what I do. I know that folks want to categorize you and thus make it easier for them to understand who you are. I too, do this. I ask “What do you do?” at least 4-5 questions in when I […]

Our Course on Radical Feminist Healing is officially OPEN! Apply on our website here: https://forms.gle/9NWrTA3C4AKpFApS6 THE POWER OF RENAMING, is an in-person and virtual personal development course designed and led by Artist and Founder, Dail Chambers and Writer and Educator, Treasure Shields ...

The Oxford American magazine has published my new poem in its Spring 2023 edition, which just came off the presses. The poem is inspired by Dred and Harriet Scott, and is entitled “Who is Sam Blow?” This poem is a part of the forthcoming No Tears Project St. Louis events, set to take place in...

Tabling at the HBCU fair Saturday, February 18 Many of you may know that I have a business —HOW TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS — where I teach college bound families how to find scholarships. Reading poetry at Jefferson College Wednesday, February 22 I love reading and performing poems from my book chop: a...

For years I have known I needed to start a non profit to house the archival work I am planning, namely collecting the stories of community elders. Well, I am proud to announce THE COMMUNITY ARCHIVE is a registered non profit in the state of Illinois. Its mission is to “serve as a platform for […]...