SPECTRA Lives!
We are back & joining forces with our friends at Roaring Rhetoric for our first-ever outdoor event to host a double feature of local/regional talent, happening live, direct & in-person outside of the mighty Rozz-Tox on Saturday, 8/29 from 7-9pm CST!
Aubs (Aubrey Barnes) & Ryan Collins will co-host the event, which will feature some of the brightest voices around, including:
Chris Britton
Melissa Conway
KayLee Chie Kuehl
Daniel Mulongecha
Amari Walker
+ more TBA
Aubs & RC will give a little of their get down, too.
Readings will be followed by a DJ set:Backyard Balcony Boogie – Hip-Hop Edition: Stamp Collector w/ Tom Teslik
Event is free & open. We’ll be outside, and Rozz-Tox will be serving from the window. Please wear masks, maintain distance, etc. Let’s take care of each other.
Please support Rozz-Tox & their employees: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rozztox-employee-fund/
BIOS:Chris Britton is a hip-hop historian, an emcee, freestyler, creative writer, and youth worker. He holds a BA in Youth Ministry/Adolescent Studies and an MA in Leadership in Ministry from Judson University. Chris has been serving youth full time for the last fifteen years in his community and currently serves as the Creative Expression & Digital Media Instructor at Thurgood Marshall Learning Center for the Rock Island School District. He is currently cooking up his first book of poetry: Past Present Future. Chris lives in Rock Island with his wife, Trisha.Together they have three beautiful girls: Jada, Jordan, and Alyse.
Melissa Conway is a recent graduate of Augustana College now living in Davenport. She is a graphic designer dedicated to her roller derby team, and writing overly personal poetry that she’s excited to share with everyone tonight.
KayLee Chie (Chee) Kuehl is a writer, poet, artist, and filmmaker. As an adopted, multiracial woman, she has spent much of her life wondering where she fits. Through creating, she discovered her purpose and place in the world. Her favorite thing to do is burn incense and make chocolate brownies, but her Mom’s scotcheroos and Dad’s french toast are still tops.
Amari Walker attends Scott Community College. He works at YouthHope as the Apprentice of their M.A.D. Skills outreach program, which gives him the opportunity to lead creative expression workshops to youth in the Q.C. area. In the future, Amari will design creative expression curriculum he will teach throughout the community.
(More Bios TBA)
This special Roaring Rhetoric/SPECTRA event is manifest thanks to the generous support of Illinois Humanities and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.