Sonya Renee speaks for people on the margins and she does it by her own damn bootstraps. I admire her smarts, her sass, her lungpower and her willpower...
...young poets should be steered in her direction, and you yourself should sit right down for a hot minute. Watch this woman. Listen to this person. Sonya Renee will win you over!
- Rives, National Poetry Slam Champion, HBO Def Poetry Jam Tour
Sonya Renee is the REAL DEAL. RAW, ORIGINAL, SENSITIVE. So many of her poems tell my story and maybe yours too. SHE'S SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!
- Gayle Danley, National Poet & Educator; 1994 National Individual Poetry Slam Champion, 2006 Young Audiences Artist of the Year
She's a force of Nature on stage, often funny, and even when she's raging against injustice, there's always a wink in the corner of her eye..
- Charles Ellik, Host and Curator of Berkeley Slam Norcal Poetry Organizer
Sonya does naturally what I strive to do as a performance artist. She can make you lose yourself in her presence & by the time you recover, you're knee deep in her rich language, up to your neck in her beauty and way in over your head with emotion.
- Black Picasso of the Poemcees, 2x Def Poetry Jam Performer
[She is] the Sonia Sanchez of our generation!
- Omekongo Dibinga, International Spoken Word Artist, Activist and Educator
Sonya Renee is easily the most distinguished, accomplished and recognizable female in the world of Slam Poetry, and rightly so. After a meteoric rise to poetry superstardom in 2004, Sonya has redefined the role and impact of women in slam since her whirlwind arrival on the scene, consistently ranking at the top of every major national and international poetry slam every year since then. Sonya’s success can be attributed to her commitment to writing poetry that stays true to her roots as a social activist and women’s rights advocate. The socially conscious wordsmith became the National Poetry Slam Champion only 4 months into her slam career in ’04, and followed this amazing achievement with back to back top 8 finishes at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship, a 2nd place finish at the International Poetry Slam Championship in 2005, and a 1st place finish at the Four Continents European International Slam Championship in 2006. Sonya put her socially conscious words into action by performing in front of over 1 million spectators in Washington D.C. alongside presidential candidate Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at a historic 2004 March for Women’s Lives Rally. Her work has appeared in several publications, translated into Dutch and German and has most recently appeared in the book Growing Up Girl: An Anthology of Voices from Marginalized Spaces and Spoken Word Revolution: Redux.. Her poetry has been used as curriculum at the University of Santa Barbara, as an HIV education resource with HIV Campus Education and as Artist for Choice with Choice USA, the reproductive rights organization started by Gloria Steinem and numerous undergraduate papers, forensic and debate teams. The First Lady of Slam has also seen commercial success with appearances on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, and the hit reality series “Monique’s F.A.T Chance” on the Oxygen Network. With all her success, Sonya has still found time to devote herself to the causes she has fought for since her teenage years, even earning her Master’s in Non-profit Management. She has held every position from peer educator to trainer, to director for numerous organizations around the country confronting issues including; at-risk youth, HIV/AIDS, prostitution, incarceration, and inequality. She currently serves as the Capacity Building and Training Director for the Black AIDS Institute in Los Angeles, CA and serves on the National Board of Directors for the arts and activism organization, Blackout Arts Collective. All the while, Sonya has toured the globe, performed at numerous colleges, universities, public venues, and clubs as a champion of Human Rights and an International Award Winning Poet. Sonya’s poetry is blunt, raw, and poignant. She speaks the truth with no mixed words and challenges society to face its deepest and most long-lived ills with strength, courage and sometimes a lot of laughter. In the same light, her work also reflects a checkered childhood overcoming a family riddled with drug addiction and mental illness, and dealing with the reality of living completely on her own from the age of 17. Her past has made her the beacon of strength and beauty that shines so brightly today every time she blesses a mic. Sonya Renee is not only the voice of every woman, but of humanity. From the neglected to the powerful, from the downtrodden to the triumphed, they all speak through her... and her voice will not soon fade Sometimes all that is left is to get Real. Sonya Renee . Is! Smile it is really contagious!
Sonya, how are ya, jus sharing sum thoughts with ya, keep shining LoVe
Caught up in LoVe, Not the rapid spin of the Earth Busy times continue but Love for all has a priceless worth Things out of our control, nature, people’s thoughts and more Love is all that is needed among earth for not one to be poor. OneLove always……. Peace & Light
Your smile is earth’s sunshine Your laughter is my favorite song Your voice is the greatest instrument Your words have calmed raging storms Your heartbeat plays a perfect rhythm Your love will remain immeasurable Your eyes speak an Angel’s truth Your mind strengthens a weary soul Your body is the most beautiful statue Your walk carries a mesmerizing stride Your presence is my light by day & moon by night You are the spirit that gives life its will to survive
Hey queen. Just wanted to hit you up with some love. Had to let you know I ain't a "ghost friend" on your list taking up space. lol. Nuff respect as usual. Wouldn't mind seeing you do a show in my neck of the woods someday. Peace. ;)
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