BIOGRAPHY

Dasha Kelly Hamilton / the journey, thus far…

Dasha Kelly is a writer, performance artist and creative change agent, applying the creative process to facilitate dialogues around human and social wellness. She is the author of three poetry collections, four spoken word albums; and two novels. She has taught on college campuses, at professional conferences and in K-12 classrooms. She has performed on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and her commissioned production, Makin’ Cake, is mounting a national tour. An Arts Envoy for the U.S. Embassy, Dasha has taught, performed and facilitated community building initiatives in Botswana, Mauritius and Beirut. In 2016, she was named Artist of the Year by the City of Milwaukee and, in 2019, Dasha was inaugurated as Milwaukee’s 11th Poet Laureate. For almost two decades, her nonprofit, Still Waters Collective, has created platforms for thousands of voices to be honored and heard.