User:Elttaruuu/sandbox
Darius Simpson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Akron, Ohio |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Mills College |
| Literary movement | New Afrikan |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Website | |
| www | |
Darius Simpson is a Black American poet based in Oakland, California.[1]
Early life
Simpson was born and raised in Akron, Ohio.
Career
While working on his undergraduate degree in political science from Eastern Michigan University,[2] Simpson was radicalized by the murder of Mike Brown, the Ferguson uprising, and the state's suppression of it.[3] Simpson traveled to Ferguson on the one year anniversary of Brown's death to be with the Ferguson community. He stated about Brown's murder and the community's reaction to it, “Something snapped in me, seeing the memorial, seeing how Ferguson reacted inspired me to take it back to Michigan."[4]
Simpson was featured in the documentary, “Finding the Gold Within,” which followed the college experiences of him and five other Black men from Akron, Ohio.[5]
In 2015, Simpson competed and coached the EMU team at the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University. Simpson and the EMU team placed third overall out of 68 other universities.[2] The EMU team earned performances on the final stage at the competition where Simpson performed the duet poem, Lost Voices, with teammate Scout Bosley.[6] The poem, about the importance of not speaking over marginalized people, was published on Button Poetry, went viral, and was viewed over 4 million times by 2019.[7][8][9]
In 2020, Simpson was awarded a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation, receiving a $25,800 prize.[10]
Personal life
Awards
Works
References
- ^ "This Oakland-Based Poet Wants You to Step Up Your Politics". Broke-Ass Stuart's Website. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ a b "'Lost Voices' Video: He Speaks as Her and She Speaks as Him with Potent Impact". Deadline Detroit.
- ^ "This Oakland-Based Poet Wants You to Step Up Your Politics". Broke-Ass Stuart's Website. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Press, Associated (2015-08-08). "Family still mourning Brown one year after death, father says". Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Hayford, Makela. "Social Justice Institute hosts Think Tank". The Observer. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "This Is What Happens When a Black Man and a White Woman Talk About Privilege". Mic. 2015-06-24. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ anna.campagna (2019-11-02). "Darius & Scout - Lost Voices". Button Poetry. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Grimm, Beca. "A Black Man & A White Woman Trade Voices In This Moving Poem". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Wheaton, Oliver. "Darius Simpson and Scout Bostley's joint poem 'lost voices' as black man and white woman speak for one another". Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "Poetry Foundation Announces the 2020 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent…". The Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 2024-10-04.