TBFF22 Live Performance - Spoken Word Jam
Fefe The Poet Fefe is a Haitian poet based in Toronto who’s favourite style of writing is surrealism. She explores various themes in her poetry such as Black identity, Womanism, Politics, Mentaller health, Love, heartbreak and a plethora of others. Fefe’s most recent accomplishments include winning Haitian Poet of the year for 2021, being inducted as the only international poet in the lucrative poetry collective the Deadly Pens Inc. Fefe has performed in Denver, in Tampa, in LA, and worldwide taking advantage of the international community’s social media focus. Fefe hopes to perform more within her community in Toronto and grow artistically over the year.
Nathan Baya
Nathan Baya is an artist, spoken word poet and dancer born in Toronto but raised specifically in the Jane and Finch area. Coming from an under privileged community written off by many. Baya used his art to redefine what his community means to him and the world. He not only aspires to create opportunities for himself as a local artist but for other artists as well. With every barrier he breaks he hopes to open the door for another person and to him that is the true definition of following the way of his ancestors. Each one, teach one!
Prince Amoako
Prince Amoako is a spoken word artist from Toronto. He uses his art form as a way of therapy through creative expression. This platform has become a way for Prince to shed light on current social justice issues around the world and his own community. His work has been featured on platforms such as CBC Arts: Poetic License Series III, Toronto Black Film Festival, and 416RISE. He has also represented Toronto on the Toronto Poetry Slam team and has won many competitions. Prince has also been a part of a program called Speakers University which focused on developing public speaking techniques which was featured on CBC. Prince has gone on to curate poetry workshops for Humber College students as a way to help them destress and share their experiences as post secondary students. As an artist Prince pushes himself to be uncomfortable by sharing the most vulnerable pieces of his life and making himself uncomfortable on stage to show the audience they are not alone in their experiences. He is determined to give back to his community through creative expression.
Shakkoi
Shakkoi aka Need Some Koi is a multi talented creative excelling in dance instruction and spoken word poetry. She is a two time author and alumni of the University of Toronto. After performing as a dancer for six years, she is now focusing on making sure the world hears why they too Need Some Koi through her speaking, hosting and comedy appearances. Floetry Fitness, her business that focuses on creating spaces for movement and poetry, has been seen on Breakfast Television's Movin’ in the Mornings, as well as the Nia Centre, Black Women in Motion and the City of Pickering organizations all in 2021 alone. Shakkoi's unique, raw and powerful presence encourages many to "Release their Doubts & Step Out!". With plenty of experiences to share, there is no doubt that everyone needs some Koi in their lives!
Santana
Santana also known as Southside Santana is a poet/spoken word artist from Toronto, Canada. Santana started writing and performing his poetry in 2019. He has always immersed in the arts since his adolescence. Santana’s work paints the picture of his current and past lived in experiences growing up in a low income environment in the West End of the city. Through his witty word play and vivid depictions he’s able to tell stories through his pieces. Santana’s aim to is to create emotion through his work in hopes for his male audience to explore vulnerability in a society where it is not yet fully accepted. In Santana’s past work he touches on the ongoing issues of gun violence that plagues the city of Toronto. The challenges of trying to escape the environment he grew up in as well as unpacking on subjects that have caused emotional trauma towards his mental health. He explores clever wordplay and storytelling in his pieces “VERBAL 2 STEP” and “SOUTHSIDE STORY”. “SOUTHSIDE STORY” delves into a harsh but honest reality that a lot of youth go through while growing up in low income environments. Santana tries to move his target audience by using certain jargon and dialect familiar to the black community. His niche is for the people that have also come from similar upbringings feel at home and relate to yet visualize the experience for others to feel. Santana in his recent works leans into the transition of musical poetry. He overlaps poetic stanzas on late ‘90s or early ‘00s sample instrumentals . Santana consistently stays resilient in his artistic endeavours despite his circumstances. He is enraptured with the process and challenges that uplifts his art to the next level.
