I have been doing performative work focusing on Nina Simone for almost 10 years now as a featured artist with the For Women Collective and the Philly Jawns poetry anthology book/movement. The For Women Collective and Philly Jawns Movement is a collective sisterhood of poets who are featured in the books For Women in Tribute to Nina Simone and Philly Jawns, For Women Revisited: A 20+20 Poetry Anthology In Tribute To Nina Simone. Doing this work has deepened my love and respect for Nina’s work and artistry. Being involved in the above projects allowed me to explore some of Nina’s music that I have never heard of before like I Wish I Knew How It Feels to Be Free and her version of Take Me to the Water, a spiritual popular in the Black church. It also allowed me to revisit some of my favorite Nina songs such as Feeling Good, Four Women and Mississippi Goddam. Much of the work that I write about revolves around the history and experiences of Blackness in America, and what that has meant past and present. I am drawn to Nina because I feel that my work aligns with her overall message of unapologetic Blackness.

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An Exploration and Celebration of Nina, is a project that aims to pay tribute and celebrate the life and legacy of Nina Simone through music, dance and written work. The images, artwork, songs and original poetry chosen are those that resonate strongly with me that I feel embody not only the essence of Nina, but embodies what I represent in my own artistry. This is a work in progress project that will evolve into a curated instillation and performance piece for the stage.

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