Hi Friends,
I am amazed that it has been 30 years since I began this journey of love and community service. I was only 25 years old when I published my first book, Punany: The HIP Hop Psalms, a passionate and controversial approach to AIDS awareness, and brought artists together for performances inspired by the book. Dr. Raquel Monroe, then a graduate student at UCLA, brilliantly described The Punany Project as an urban adaptation of Augusto Boal's Theater of the Oppressed in her Ph.D. dissertation U.E.A.T. Urban Erotic Activist Theater. Since then, I have published numerous books and created many shows on a myriad of subjects.
The most rewarding part of my work has been creating training and work opportunities for young adults in the arts. This is why I created Y.A.P.P. (Young Adult Producers' Program) and HIP Soul Fest. This Valentine's Day, I am bringing some of the singers…