artist resume

Press

• Hartford Courant: “A Market at this Hartford School Provides More Than Just Food” Deidre Montague, Published 7/29/2022

• Hartford Courant: “In Hartford, First Artists of Color Accelerate fellows find space, support to elevate their work”
  Deidre Montague, Published 7/4/2022

• Hartford Courant: “Artists of color named to The 224 EcoSpace fellowship to partner with Hartford organizations.”
  Isabella Chan, Published 7/23/2021

• Hartford Courant: “To fight absenteeism, Hartford schools are getting more creative, and fun. Teachers pie-ed in the face, taped to walls and more to reward attendance..”
  Rebecca Lurye, Published 3/29/2021

• CT Post: “Artists Say Hashtags Aren’t Enough In Fight For Social Justice.”
  TinaMarie Craven, Published 6/11/2020

• Hartford Courant: “CT UndocuFund Uses Poetry To Give Voice And Support To Undocumented People Struggling With Economic Meltdown.”
  Susan Dunne, Published 6/4/2020

• Hartford Courant: “Works Of The Audacious Agency Collective On Display.”
  Dennis Hohenberger, Published 5/8/19

• The Register Citizen: “Audacious Agency Showcases Multi-discipline Exhibit, Talks At Five Points Annex Gallery.”
  Five Points Annex Gallery, Published 3/5/19

• Yale Daily News: “Divinity School Premieres “Audacious” Art Exhibit.”
  Asha Prihar, Published 11/2/18

• NBC Connecticut: “Calling All Brothers Group Welcomes Students to School In Hartford.”
  Leslie Mayes, Published 8/30/2016

Fellowships

• “Artists of Color Accelerate” Fellow (2021 - 2022).
  Host organization: The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts.

• Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities Fellow (2015).
  Host organization: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, The Office of Minority Health.

Exhibits

• “Audacious Agency” (Traveling Exhibit), 2018-2019

  • Sarah Smith Gallery- Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Connecticut (11/18-2/19)

  • 5 Points Annex Gallery, Torrington, Connecticut (3/19)

  • Windsor Art Center, Windsor, Connecticut (4/19 – 6/19)

Poet/Author
Published Books:

• “immigrant.” (TBA)

• “The Tweets I Twote” (Summer, 2023)

• “Jesus Is Black.” (2017)

• “I’ve Just Got These Words Fam…” (2016)

 Articles:

• “The ‘Melting Pot’ Paradox” (2020), Medium.com

• “Whiteness: The Not So Silent Killer” (2016), Medium.com

• “Bernie, A History (#FeelTheBruh)” co-author (2016), RicoVision.net

• “I Walked With King… we good right?” (2016), Medium.com

• “Kingdom Come; Hova’s Lost One” (2016), Medium.com

• “The Iron Shackles” series (2011 - 2015), RicoVision.net

 Performer/Spoken Word Artist

• “A Little Bit of Death, VII” a transformative storytelling event. Zulynette & HartBeat Ensemble - Storyteller (Nov. 2022)

• Harriet Beecher Stowe Center “DRED & Hope: A Free Poetry Showcase of New Works Responding to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Novel ‘DRED.” - Featured Poet (Sept. 2022)

• Storyteller in “Wishes by Black Men: A Staged Reading of Black Male Voices.” HartBeat Ensemble in collaboration with University of St. Joseph - Storyteller (Apr., 2022)

• UConn Health Disparities Institute “The State of Health Equity among Boys & Men of Color Summit” - Main Stage Speaker (June, 2021)

• “A Little Bit of Death, II” a transformative storytelling event. Hartford, CT - Storyteller (Nov. 2016)

• “Halloween Shenanigans: Gothic.” New Britain, CT. - Featured Performer (Oct. 2016)

• “Matters of The Heart, Art Show.” Hartford, CT. - Host & Performer (Mar. 2016)

• “A Little Bit Of Death.” New Britain, CT. - Featured Performer (Oct. 2015)

• Also performed at ArtSpace, ReSet, Mac650 Gallery, etc

 Host/Facilitator

• “Telling Our Stories: A Celebration of Immigrant Mutual Aid and Report Launch.” Moderator (May, 2021)

• “American Adjacent: Conversations with Black Immigrants.” in collaboration with Black Infinity Collective, Facilitator (February, 2021)

• “Carl Winslow Is Trash… and other thoughts.” Clubhouse Conversations, Facilitator (Dec. 2020 - March 2021)

• “Deep Appreciation” BIPOC Book Club presented by Hartford Public Library and HartBeat Ensemble. Facilitator (Nov. 2020)

• “Encounters: American Dreams,” Panelist (Oct., 2020)

• “The People’s Saturday School: Launch Party Open Mic” Host (July, 2020)

• “The Kickback: Where Black Arts, Activism and Healing Intersect” Curator & Co-Host (June, 2020)

• CT UndocuFund’s “UndocuPoetry Week” Co-Moderator (June, 2020)

• CT UndocuFund’s “Breaking Bread & Borders” Co-creator, Producer (June, 2020)

• Resistance in a ‘Post Racial’ America - issa writing workshop.

  • Windsor Art Center, Windsor, CT. (June, 2019)

  • Five Points Gallery Annex, Torrington, CT. (May, 2019)

  • The Alchemy Door Studio, Hartford, CT. (2019)

• A TIME TO TALK: Poverty, Criminal Justice and Race. Hartford, CT. (2019)

• Jesus Is Black. issa book release," Hartford, CT. (2017)

• Everyday Democracy Intergenerational Equity Retreat. Hartford, CT. (2017)

• Bae Season CUFFathon: A Speed Dating Event. Hartford, CT. (2016)

• Matters of The Heart, Art Show. Hartford, CT. (2016)

• Hip Hop, An Activist’s Tool Trinity 11th Annual International Hip Hop Festival, Hartford CT. (2016).

• Creativity, Inspiration, Expression & Reception. Fifth Annual Mark Twain Writers’ Weekend Hartford, CT. (2016)

• What Dads Need To Know Workshop. New Britain, CT. (2016)

• Black Lives Matter, To Who? Panel Discussion. New Britain, CT. (2016)

• Bigger Than Hip Hop: #BlackLivesMatter with M.K. Asante, Rosa Clemente & Femi Bogle-Assegai, Hartford, CT. (Nov., 2015)

• Annual “Young Men’s Health Forums. New Britain, CT. (2008-2016)

 Television

• “See, I Do Be Listening” Web Series, Host & Producer (2017)

• “MenZ” - Producer, Co-writer, Talent - Nutmeg TV (2015)

• “All About The Game” Producer, Co-writer, Talent - Nutmeg TV (2015 - 2016)

• “Hartford UAV Challenge” Producer - Nutmeg TV (2016)

• “Givin’ It To Ya Hard: Ep. 1 - “Love” Director (2016)

• “Givin’ It To Ya Hard: Ep. 2 - “Fun” Director (2016)

Multimedia

• “The Rico & Shane Show,” Good Talks Podcast Network (2021)

• “Bitching At Meee, Ep. 4” Featured Guest (Apr. 2021)

• “Carl Winslow is Trash… and other thoughts” on Clubhouse (2020 - Present)

• “I’m Right, He’s Wrong: the Podcast” Co-Host (2020-Present)

• “Stewed Aux-Tales: Stories of an Immigrant” Host (2019 - Present)

• “Heavy Thinkin: Reunion Episode” Contributor, (2020)

• AfrEats

  • Featured “Quarantine Eats” (Aug. 2020)

  • Featured “Quarantine Eats” (Sept. 2020)

  • Panelist “ManWich” Episode (Feb. 2020)

• “The Creative Alchemist Podcast”

  • Guest Host (2019)

  • Featured (2018)

• “Community Spotlight” Featured Author (2018)

• “Heavy Thinkin” Contributor (2017)

• "Time For Some Action with DJ Bigg Mann" Featured - Hot 93.7 FM, (2017)

• "Walk N' Talk with Abdul-Rahmaan Muhammad" featured (2016)

• "Mastery Mondays Podcast” Co-host (2017)

• “Keep Your Head Up” with Chris Pressley (2017)

• “All About The Game Podcast” Co-host (2015-2018)

• “An Hour With Earle” Contributor (2015) 

Awards

• Connecticut Women’s Education & Legal Fund (CWELF) “Maria Miller Stewart Award,” Oct. 2020

• Urban League of Greater Hartford’s “Beyond The Service” Award, Feb. 2020

• One Hundred Men of Color: 2018 Honoree

• Official Citation from the Connecticut General Assembly, Oct. 2018

• Official Proclamation from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts presented by Domenic J Sarno, Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, Oct. 2018

• Official Citation from the Connecticut General Assembly, Apr. 2018

• BSL Educational Foundation’s “Champion for Youth and Leadership Development,” Apr. 2018

• Official Citation from the Court of Common Council, Feb. 2018