Who I am

Hi, I'm Ikenna! 👋🏾 I'm a Canadian writer, performance poet, and arts educator, and I've spent the last fifteen years learning what it takes to put work out into the world.

I've competed and featured my original poems extensively across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. As the 2018 Rio International Poetry Slam champion, the 2014 World Poetry Slam Champion, a two-time Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion, and a two-time Canadian Festival of Spoken Word Champion, I'm among the winningest Canadian slam poets ever! This means I've been in the room. I know exactly the courage and vulnerability it takes to stand on a stage and speak your truth.

As a writer, my poems appear in three national anthologies (in Canada, the US, and Brazil). As an educator, I've facilitated workshops and safe art spaces for poets of all ages to share their stories—most recently through a three-month artist residency in India and my Intangibles workshop series in Bangkok, Thailand.

What I do now

I work with poets preparing for competition or publication, artists navigating statements and applications, and organizations that support creative communities. My job is simple: to help you get your work into the world, whether it is on stage, on the page, or in a grant application.

How I work

I will not rewrite your voice. I'm here, instead, to help you find it more clearly and confidently.

Think of me as a brother in arms. Someone who's been through the late nights, the rewrites, the rejections, the wins, and the losses. Someone who will tell you the truth about your work because I want you to succeed.

If that sounds like what you need, then let's talk.