Meet the Artists: Poetic City
Bleek
Atavian “Bleek” Blakely is the CEO of Poetic City, a multifaceted art organization with disciplines such as but not limited to poetry, media, music, dance, comedy, and visual arts. Excluding group mentorship, he manages up to 15 artists in an array of disciplines across the country. Bleek specializes in poetry (published Beyond the Smile (2019) and A Year of Honesty (2022)) but has 4 years of video directing, script writing, and artistic curriculum development. Born in Oklahoma City but raised in McKinney, Texas, his live performance resume is extensive across the country but has exhibited a special interest in curating shows in Oklahoma City with the goal in mind to make Poetic City the highest grade of live art entertainment that one can find in the state.
Among a host of accomplishments, Bleek was awarded Oklahoma City’s People’s Choice Award as 2018 Poet of the Year, Best Emerging Artist in Paseo Arts District (2021), has curated over 30 events in the last 4 years, was featured in the Black Chronicle, has had numerous Fox 25 News appearances, and has produced and directed two short films. With a mindset of evolution, he curated, Melanin Stories (2020), the first ever month-long art exhibit in the Paseo Arts District highlighting the work of minorities. Bleek developed and administered an online poetry- based curriculum in partnership with the Oklahoma Arts council as well as the Greenwood Arts Council and currently serves his community by adopting a street in Spencer, Oklahoma that is cleaned once a month. Bleek is a powerful force in the art community and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. He is inspired daily by his son and daughters, Sir Prince (10), Goddess (2), and Stormi (8months)
Sharita Renee
Sharita Wilson is a mother, performance artist, and a leader. A native of Oklahoma City, raised in Spencer, Oklahoma, she graduated from Star Spencer High School and pursued a major in Education at Oklahoma State University. Sharita’s passion for education and mental health empowered her to become a career registered Behavioral Therapist as well as fuel her entrepreneurial spirit in owning her own cleaning company, 3 Queens Cleaning (OKC).
Formerly a co-chair for the Oklahoma City Public School’ Student Experience & Equity Committee (SEEC), she was able to capitalize on over a decade of mental health service and become an asset to her community and grow her personal platform among the annals of edification for youth programming. Sharita serves as the President of Poetic City and leads the operations of its Adopt a Street Program for the past three years.
A lover of music and spoken word, Sharita has cultivated herself into a professional performance artist whom performs under the stage name “Sharita Renee”. Refining her artistry by touching stages and hearts with her relatable yet touching messages across the nation from Oklahoma to Philadelphia, she has been nominated for national awards including The OKC’s People’s Choice Award for Favorite Spoken Word artist in 2021. Along with her numerous self-publications highly regarded as a “Poet of the People”, she promises her fans and “tribe” that this is just the beginning of this “Queen’s Reign”.
MAC Woods
Cordney D. McClain is an alumnus of the University of Oklahoma, an MBA grad, Army National Guard Veteran, a corporate and community Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Practitioner, and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. His interests read long but his passion for service has afforded him honors such as a State of Oklahoma award for community and mentorship, a Cherokee Nation Public Service award, and an Oklahoma Journal Record’s Achievers under 40 award. Cordney is an annual host and performer for the Teacher’s Appreciation Foundation gala and has recently been selected as a Leadership Tulsa 360 member, part of the 68 Class. With up to two decades of corporate experience combined with collegiate adjunct professor distinction, his desire is to take his resources and knowledge and serve marginalized youth in areas such as professional development, financial literacy, self-love and actualization, and goal execution.
Cordney is a nationally nominated, national recording spoken word performance artist better known as “MAC Woods”, who holds the distinction of being the official spoken word artist for the Oklahoma City Police Department’s Outreach program. A trained actor as well, he is featured in a multitude of short films, film festival contributions, commercials, and other cinematic productions, such as Oklahoma notable: Black Wall Street Burning (2020) by Notis Studios. Last but not least, Cordney is an immensely supportive husband to Mrs. Carrie McClain and proud father of two princesses, Kimora Monáe and Camílla Justice.”
Sam Coop
Sam Coop is a mother, author, spoken word artist, business owner and Oklahoma City native. She is also a Langston University graduate, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. After establishing her career in a clinical laboratory, she decided to attend graduate school at the University of Central Oklahoma where she received her MBA in Healthcare. Sam fell in love with poetry in elementary school after reading Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein and The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. She began performing on stage in 2018 when she joined Poetic City, where she now serves as the President of Poetry. Sam Coop writes about the transitions that individuals go through in life and seeks to touch at least one person with each piece. She has hit the stage performing her original works in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New Jersey and hopes to add to the list soon.
Madam Tjay
Tyra J. Nolan is an extraordinary individual hailing from Oklahoma City. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Langston University, Tyra has embarked on a journey of self-expression through poetry for the past four years. Alongside her poetic endeavors, she shines as a dedicated full- time cosmetologist, utilizing her artistic talents to enhance the beauty of others and through “Tamed by Madam Tjay”. Driven by her desire to inspire and teach, Tyra is currently pursuing her education to become a cosmetology instructor. Additionally, she serves as a Registered Behavior Technician, lending her skills to positively impact the lives of others. But Tyra’s versatility doesn’t end there! She also graces the stage as an actress, leads worship, and indulges her passion for painting. Always in tune with the right moment, Tyra employs her diverse gifts creatively and passionately to make a difference in the lives of young people. Her dedication lies in empowering and encouraging young girls, guiding them towards freedom through creativity and character development. Tyra’s unwavering commitment to youth exemplifies her remarkable spirit and unwavering pursuit of making a meaningful impact in the world.
Mo
Monick Braggs was born September 30th, 1986 at Midwest Regional Hospital. She was Raised in Spencer, OK but currently reside in Midwest City, OK. Her family inspired and supports her poetry. In her spare time, she likes crafting, camping, doing hair, spending time with family, making new jewelry pieces and tweaking poems that she wrote. Monick is a Spoken Word artist and has traveled to Texas, Kentucky, Kansas and Philly to perform as well as mentored youth. Monick works for the State as a Child Welfare Assistant lll, FAA as a cook/ cashier, and 3 Queens Cleaning. At an older age Monick hopes to be still traveling, writing poetry and performing that it touches many people’s lives and retired living peacefully.
Mike Guinn
Michael is a nationally renowned spoken word artist, storyteller, multi published author, award winning poet/actor, high impact community events organizer, mental health advocate and activist with a global audience. He has more than 25 years of stage, film, radio and public speaking experience. He is a former 2 Time National Poetry Slam Finalist, Toronto International Slam Champion and 4 Time AIPF Slam Champion. Great Plains Pile Up Slam Champion. Michael also has more than 25 years of coordinating and hosting upscale open mics and national spoken word showcases. Michael also coached The Fort Worth Brave New Voices Youth Slam Team to #3 in the world at the 2015 Finals in Atlanta. Michael is the director of Mike Guinn Entertainment and founder/CEO of Uplift Your Life, a 501c3 which addresses mental health and wellness globally via social awareness and performance arts. Currently he has been nominated for two National Spoken word Awards. More on Michael at www.mikeguinnent.com
Byrd The Overcomer
Doyle Rowland Jr. aka (Byrd the Overcomer) was born two and a half months premature in Shawnee Mission, KS, on March 12, 1978. He and his family made the move to Muskogee, OK when he was 5 yrs. old. It was at Sadler Elementary where he discovered his love for writing and poetry, and this continued all the way through Muskogee high school where he graduated in 1996. As a father of 6, life didn’t leave much time for his dreams, but in the years following graduation he continued to write and perform which led to the creation of Blacklight Poetry.
Under this brand, Doyle has written four books, countless magazine publications, and was nominated best new poetry book by Amazon in 2021. He’s a multi-time nationally nominated Best-Spoken Word Male Artist and Best Promoter following the success of his flagship annual show, POET WARZ: The Battle for the Belt. He is an accomplished streaming artist and songwriter; his music is in rotation on 105.3 K Jams. Doyle is the creator of the longest running poetry series on social media, Poetry Drop Tuesday and Motivation Monday. Doyle’s favorite motto to leave people with is, “Stay motivated. And if you can’t stay motivated stay consistent”.
