2012 Black History Month Poetry Reading: V.S. Chochezi, Terry Moore, and Milton Bowens

On February 14, CRC is hosting a BHM poetry reading featuring VS Chochezi, Terry Moore, and Milton Bowens. I look forward to this event, which takes place just a day after another BHM event at the Sacramento Poetry, in which Terry Moore and VS Chochezi be some of the features.

The CRC reading will take place in the Recital Hall from 12:00 to 1:20 PM.

V.S. Chochezi has resided in Sacramento for more than 20 years. For most of that time she has shared poetry and spoken word at countless venues including colleges and universities, K-12 educational centers, festivals and poetry features. She has been published in numerous publications including Speak, Write, Dream an anthology of contributions from ZICA members, available on LULU.com. ZICA is a Sacramento based creative arts and literary guild with an eclectic, national membership. Chochezi also has been published in several issues of Drum Voices Revue, a publication from Southern Illinois University, Sierra College's literary journal and Poetry Now, a Sacramento Poetry Center publication to name a few. When not writing and sharing poetry, Chochezi teaches public speaking and works as an editor, journalist, leadership development trainer and Myers Briggs Type Indicator practitioner. She holds a bachelor's in journalism, a master's in communication studies and is pursuing a doctoral degree in education.


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Performance poet Terry Moore is one of America's favorite spoken word artists. He has featured with and opened up for some of the world's top entertainers! He is the host of two of Northern California’s longest running and most successful poetry venues. He has won five "Best Spoken Word Artist” awards, appeared on the world famous Showtime at the Apollo, hosted and won poetry slams, hosted numerous events, been in movies, coordinated workshops for men, women and children of all ages and races and is a household name in the spoken word community. This multi-published, multi-recorded, multi-talented man, father, activist is nationally recognized, appreciated and respected.


Awards and achievements


2001 Spoken Word Artist of the Year- Sounds of Soul Music Awards

2002 Nominated for Entertainer of the Year- Sounds of Soul Music Awards

2004 Nominated for Best Spoken Word Performer-

Los Angeles Black Music Awards

2004 Appeared on the world famous Showtime at the Apollo

2005 Best Male Spoken Word Performer- Sounds of Soul Music Awards

2005 Father of the Year- Center for Fathers and Families

2007 Best Poet in Sacramento-Hub Choice Awards

2008, 2009 & 2010 Sacramento Super Love Jones Love Poem Competition Champion

2010 Best Spoken Word Male Performer- Sounds of Soul Music Awards

2010 Chosen as one of the Bay Area’s 1 of 4 Kings of Poetry

2010 Best Poet (Best of Sacramento) –Sacramento News & Review

Has Shared the Stage With  The Temptations, Maya Angelou, Kirk Franklin, Rashaan Patterson,

Dr. Cornel West, CeCe Winans, Lalah Hathaway, Zapp, WAR, Marvin Sapp

Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire), Bilal, Howard Hewitt, Gerald Albright

Raphael Saadiq, Raheem DeVaughn, Iyanla Vanzant, Mary Mary, Norman Brown, Lenny Williams, West Coast All Stars, Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler, Pieces of a Dream, Lisa McClendon, Darlene McCoy and many more!

Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., Milton Bowens is the fifth boy of ten children. Milton’s artistic promise began at the age of five with nothing more than a few pencils and cut up brown paper bags used as sketch paper, thanks to his mother’s ingenuity of making the best of lean times. Milton never lost sight of his humble roots. Discreetly placed on many of his works of art is a slim strip of brown paper bag. Years later, Milton’s formal art education took off while he attended the Renaissance Art School in Oakland during his junior and senior high school years. After graduating, Milton received a scholarship to the California College of Arts and Crafts. He completed one-year of study then enlisted in the United States Armed Forces and became an Illustrator. He received his Associates Degree in Commercial Art under the Army’s College Education Assistance Program (ACE). Milton continued his art education at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee and at North Carolina’s Fayetteville State University, while completing his military obligations. During this time, two of the military’s most prestigious museums: The John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and The Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, collected Milton’s artwork.


After serving his tour of duty, Milton returned to the Bay Area, where he continued his education under the mentorship of Fine Artist David Bradford, head of the Art Department and instructor at Laney College (Oakland). Inspired by great artists such as Jean Michel Basquiat, Robert Rauschenberg, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence and Andy Warhol, Milton changed his focus from illustration to fine art. That shift proved crucial for Milton now considered a great artist in his own right and inspirational public speaker/community activist in the struggle to keep art a vital part of public education and a tool to help build self-esteem in youth. Milton works tirelessly to create thought-provoking exhibitions that will help restore a level of hope in communities desperately in need of inspiration.