McNair Scholars Research Conference and Graduate School Fair
October 11-12, 2012  •  University of Delaware

Poetry Slam

Plan to attending this fun spoken-word kickoff event featuring Wilmington's Twin Poets, Thursday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m. All conference attendees are welcome to attend and/or compete. Enter the competition by indicating “yes” as a poetry slam contestant when you register. Cash prizes given. Click here to view a 1-page flier about the Poetry Slam.

The Twin Poets

Tutors, mentors, big brothers, community activist, leaders, scholars, summa cum laude grads, allies, soldiers, father-figures, artist, camp directors, counselors, historians, master social workers, nonprofit administrators, brothers, friends, fathers, sons, all of these titles can be summed to one, THE TWIN POETS.

Truly their work reflects their lives. Not many who have witnessed a performance or read a poem by the Twin Poets (Al & Nnamdi) would deny that they have seen or felt the power. Their compassion and commitment for their words is only outdone by their work in the community. For the past decade and a half these two wordsmiths have been warriors on the front line for our community, placing the needs of the community before their own. Founders of GOALS-Getting Organized Always Leads to Success-a tutoring and mentoring program run out of their home in North Wilmington.

They have won many awards for their work including State Mentors of the Year, State of DE- Department of Youth & Families –Village Award, The Mayors Award for Service to Children, Bank of America- Local Heroes Award, Citizens of the Year – Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Outstanding Young Wilmingtonian Award for community service, the Christi Award for Community Service through the Arts; and the State of Delaware Social Workers of the Year. Inspired at an early age to write and express themselves, Al & Nnamdi have become two of the most respected poets on the reemerging poetry scene. Performances with such poetic legends as The Last Poets, Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Lamont Steptoe, Walter Mosley, Haki Madhubuti and Chinua Achebe have paved the way to repeated captivating performances at NY's Nuyorican, PA's Painted Bride, and DE's Grand Opera House; college/university/school tours from Ivy Leagues to local preschools, orphanages and area group homes.

The depth of their messages has allowed them to be included in the prison poetry programs in DE, PA and NY. The Twin Poets were featured on HBO's Def Poetry, BET's Lyric Café, the Kings of Poetry and NPR's Poetic License. They have toured nationally and internationally most recently with the Poetically Incorrect Tour.

The Twin Poets are the subject of the Hearts and Minds Films Documentary: Why I Write which chronicles their artistic and social work on the frontlines to save children and empower communities.

Professionally, the brothers are master social workers and leaders within the non-profit sector; Nnamdi was recently elected to the Wilmington City Council and Al is the former Program Director for Project Stay Free (a community based juvenile probation/re-entry program) The brothers also founded Art For Life, a nonprofit arts centered youth development program based in Wilmington, DE.