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(en)vyzion this …

A few random things we’ll pretend you need to know:

  • “vyzion” is pronounced like “vision”
  • I am an activist, community organizer, and founder of Speak Equal
  • I am a volunteer for the Michigan Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus, and a staunch supporter of equality for all. I did not fight in Iraq for the equality of some.
  • I am a free-verse performance poet who enjoys experimenting with punctuation, music, and alliteration
  • I am a drag king, and I perform under the name “dante deville”
  • I like tattoos
  • I am a proud Wii owner.

Now for the bio:
I grew up in inner city Detroit. I was fed only the finest in hip-hop, blues, jazz, classical, gospel, and folk for the first 18 years of my life. This resulted in an excessive love of an eclectic collection of musical genres, all of which have been an influence on my writing style.

I first moved to Grand Rapids in 2000 to attend college at Aquinas College. I graduated in 2005 with a dual major in Business Administration and English. While there I wrote, directed, and produced a play entitled, “And He Shall Add Strength.” My works were published in several campus-based publications, and in 2004, I won The Academy of American Poets University and College Poetry Prize.

Since then, I’ve traveled, lived, and worked across the Midwest and East Coast. I’ve hosted and facilitated several writer’s workshops and open mics, typically focused on supporting and developing youth writers. I have also worked to support Adult Literacy and English as a Second Language programs. One such program was through an organization called Operation Think Pink, for whom I volunteered during my 2008-2009 Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment.

This site features my blog, which are my personal views, and not representative of any other organization.

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