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Poetry and Music with Amanda Shea
June 21st @ 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Amanda Shea is a two-time Boston Music Award-winning Spoken Word Artist. Shea is an artist, performer, educator, artivist, publicist, host, and curator. She co-founded and curated six iterations of Activating ARTivism, a community festival to amplify POC through art, activism, and resistance. Her work can be found in the Museum of Fine Arts, The Boston Globe, TEDX, TEDXRoxbury, Netflix, Prime Video, BBC News, GBH, and much more. Shea will be releasing her first book, “Pieces of Shea” in the Spring of 2024. Amanda’s work examines her personal life experiences, social justice issues, and healing through trauma utilizing art as the tool.
Join Amanda as she returns to the UnCommon Stage with Boston’s best poets, artists, and spoken wordsmiths alongside live music and DJ KNSZWRTH. This incredible lineup will include poetic luminaries Tim Hall, Najee Janey, and D. Ruff, as well as live music from Safari Hat King (saxophone), Kazi Did It (keys), and Hole Minor (guitar).
Social Media: @amandasheaallday
Website: https://www.amandashea.com/
Tim Hall is an award winning musician, poet, and producer. His poetry draws inspiration from his lived experiences – charting the nuances of blackness, masculinity, and the beauties of life. Writings of his have been published in: Proud Flesh – Afrikan Journal of Culture, Politics, & Consciousness; Mass Poetry – Hard Work of Hope; Vagabond Publishing; Indie Earth Publishing – Self Care Anthology; Whisper & Roar Publishing; and currently Tim’s poetry lives in City Hall as his work was selected to be part of Mayor Wu’s Poetry project. Tim is Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music, was honored as “Session Musician of the Year ” by the 2020 Boston Music Awards, and nominated for Spoken Word Artist of the year for 2022. He was also recognized by WBUR’s Artery 25 as 1 of 25 millennials of color impacting Arts and Culture in Boston. His spoken word can be experienced through his new project – Trust the Process EP, as well as Colors Of My Soul EP, and self-published book – Trust The Process.
D.Ruff is a 2022 Boston Music Award Spoken Word Artist Of The Year nominee. D is a Roxbury-bred artist, performer, educator, artivist, and host. He co-hosted “if you can Feel It, you can Speak It” Open Mic movement for fourteen years. “Feel it, Speak it” is the only monthly Non-elitist and non-pretentious open mic dedicated to providing a platform of expression to the queer communities, and invites EVERYONE to bless the mic, regardless of their identity and talent. His work can be found in the CBS News, Museum of Science, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, The Boston Globe, GBH and much more. He has also released his first book, Staying on 94: Tales from a Misguided Soul in the Fall of 2012 and is setting up for re-release in 2025. D.Ruff performs with inspiring passion in hopes that someone of color, will also want to find a way to express themselves, find that “tribe” and do it all, with the intention of leaving all the hurt, pain, and negativity, right where it was showcased.
Najee Janey, an emerging rapper-songwriter hailing from Roxbury, Boston, has been honing his music skills since his teenage years. With several projects under his belt, including “Blue Manifesto”, “The Purple Earth Theory”, and “As-Is”, he has carved out a unique niche in the rap and R&B landscape. His music has been recognized and streamed worldwide. In addition to his solo endeavors, Najee has lent his writing and production talents to artists like Sebastian Mikael and helloSIXX. His work has also graced TV screens and films, collaborating with renowned platforms such as HBO, BET, and Atlantic Records. At present, Najee is juggling multiple projects while planning a concert tour. His versatile sound that transcends genre boundaries is showcased in his latest release What’s Crackin and his contributions to Atlantic Records R&B artist Sebastian Mikael‘s albums. With a promising future ahead, Najee Janey remains committed to elevating his craft in his journey as a dedicated artist, songwriter, and creative entrepreneur.