La Bella Morenita | She’s the Truest Poet in NYC!

Written by: Pana • March 31, 2017

Ladies and Gents, let me introduce you to a fellow La Bella Morenita: True. She’s a very talented poet and is a veteran in the New York City poetry scene. Not only is True a poet, she is also a playwright currently in the works of showcasing her latest work: In Defense of Glitter and Rainbows. She’s got a winning personality and is winning in life. I’m sharing her story with you all to inspire you as she did me.

True is from Far Rockaway, Queens and is a fellow Afro-Latina born of Puerto-Rican descent. She expressed to us that she grew up not taking school too seriously but had a very advanced IQ. So advanced that she ended taking courses at NYU. While at NYU, True took a course on poetry but wasn’t fully immersed in the world of poetry at that time.

It wasn’t until November of 1999 that True realized the power of poetry. She went to the Living Room Cafe and witnessed poetry at its finest. Chris Slaughter, fellow NYC Poet, did a poem called Street Jazz and Ghetto Blues and it changed True’s life from that moment on. She was inspired not to be just another poet but to tell a real story.

It’s funny how things work. True was running away from a calling that relentlessly pursued her and now she’s truly flourishing in her purpose.

With influences from some of the greatest poets including Biggie, Tupac, and Maya Angelou (yes, Biggie and Tupac! lol), True is now focused on inspiring women. She wants every woman to tell their story from an empowering place and help move the planet forward. With projects such as “In Defense of Glitter and Rainbows”, True is doing just that.

Glitter and Rainbows is a play that tells a story of a mother and daughter and what we all are willing to do to protect our joy. It infuses music, poetry, and dance and includes the sounds of La Lupe and Billie Holiday. If you’re in New York, catch the show some time in June at the Briar Cultural Center in Harlem. It’s gonna be good guys; I know!