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Hakim Bellamy is an award winning Poetry Slam artist. He is a two-time National Champion and is a former member of the 2005 National Poetry Slam Champs team Albuquerque and 2006 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational Champs Team at University of New Mexico. In addition, Mr. Bellamy is a freelance journalist, community organizer and social justice advocate. His poetry and journalism have been published internationally as well as his radio journalism on KUNM 89.9FM out of Albuquerque. Mr. Bellamy is currently working as Social and Community Program Coordinator for the Office of African American Affairs in New Mexico and is a board member for Poetic Justice Institute.

Jessica Helen Lopez was a member of the 2006 and 2007 Albuquerque City Slam Teams. She has performed in a variety of local and southwestern venues including a featured solo performance at the District Bar & Grill, where she now hosts the IWPS Poetry and Beer Slam. Lopez has twice completed competitive team tours throughout Texas that concluded at the National Slam Finals in the weird and beautiful city of Austin. Lopez is a self-described “confessional poet,” and has at least twice cried on stage. She refuses to be embarrassed by this and continues to spit rhyme with emotion. Lopez routinely takes time out of a busy schedule to work with kids of all ages, in Albuquerque and New Mexico public schools – when she isn’t with her own daughter that is. Lopez is a single mother, a creative writing student at the University of New Mexico and a waitress trying to stretch a dollar out of fifteen cents. Although broke she is very much content to be writing in the “poor man’s field” of poetry, that is, until her winning lottery ticket comes through. She does not buy lottery tickets.

Lopez has been published in the American Open Mic Vol 1 Poetry Anthology and such ‘zines as Central Avenue, The Rag, Feminism Now, TVI Leonardo Anthology and Instant Pussy. Her published work can also be found in the 2006 Slam Team poetry compilation, Album Familiar as well as her recorded works, Live at the Outpost CD Vol 1. She is the co-founder of the writing workshop and online organization New Mexico Poetry Tangents and co-editor of “New Mecca: An Anthology.” She continues to perform and write poetry and volunteers within the Albuquerque public school system.

For more information on the ABQ Slam Teams please visit www.abqslam.org. In order to reach her personally, contact Jessica at jec_lopez26@yahoo.com or call at (505) 203-9055. Paz y poesia!

Tazuo Yamaguchi has earned a national reputation as a poet, touring performer, and filmmaker for almost a full decade through his solo tours, his films, his long list of collaborations with some of the nation’s finest poets and artists, two national haiku championships, and his "provocative" poetry workouts and workshops that guide the voices of youth to the elders. Tazuo Yamaguchi is a master storyteller, poet and spoken word craftsman with a deep heritage in Shigin Poetry (poet, chanter, and storytellers of the royal court of Japan.) Growing up in the Bay Area, he was influenced by the poets, musicians, and creators of his time. He publishes his own works and implements ancient and modern traditions into new developing digital technologies.

The Dallas Morning News calls Tazuo "a modern road warrior telling mythic tales through spoken words and digital films." In a review after winning a Chico poetry slam, The Buzz said, “Yamaguchi’s poems become interactive movies in your mind bringing ancient Asian elements together with modern pop culture...” Peter Rabbit calls him “the poet with the brass balls.” Commenting on how in the heat of a poetry slam off, Yamaguchi would whip out a fully improvisational poem.

Highlights of his work include sharing the stage with America’s finest poets, opening for notable names like Maceo Parker, Saul Williams, and Jello Biafra, exchanging poems and interviewing the great Nanao Sakaki, winning two national haiku head to head bouts and being a finalist in two, performing and filming the SlamAmerica bus tour, Producing the first ever DVD of poetry slam, Being a part of the extremely talented and ever-growing Poetry Slamnation, Tazuo is the author of four books, three CD’s, Director and producer of two films, director and producer of two DVDs, an old school poetry slam champion, coach of the Chico youth poets for six years, and a producer of poetry events and slams in the Sacramento valley of northern California.

Tazuo is also an accomplished educator, multimedia producer, interactive developer, and online elearning specialist. He has worked for every major creative hi-tech company from IBM to Intel to Apple to a very impressionable opportunity working at Lucas Film LTD directly with Star Wars creator George Lucas. He holds three degrees in the communication, psychology, and education fields and has taught at universities and k-12 schools.

The power of the written and spoken word has given him a medium to express his mystic journey of being healed of cancer when he was eleven years old. With this strong base value for life and a love for the poetic and musical human learning process, he speaks out with a graceful presence full of artistic power.