Poet, activist to perform at PSU

Hip hop spoken word poet and prison activist Bryonn Bain will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, in the Crimson and Gold Ballroom of the Overman Student Center on the Pittsburg State University Campus. This free event is sponsored by the PSU Leadership Institute and the PSU Office of Student Diversity.

Bain has lectured at more than 50 colleges and correctional facilities in the U.S., has performed in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and has shared stages with Maceo Parker, the Last Poets, Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, DJ Red Alert, Poor Righteous Teachers, and dead prez.

In 2000, an article Bain wrote about being racially profiled and wrongfully arrested was published as the cover story for The Village Voice. His essay, "Walking While Black: The Bill of Rights for Black America," received more than 100,000 replies from around the world and resulted in an interview on CBS' 60 Minutes.

During his first year at Harvard Law School, Bain was crowned Boston's 1999 Slam Poetry Champion, and then went on to win the 2000 Grand Slam Poetry Championship at Nuyorican Poet's Cafe. Bain is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Gallatin School where he teaches The Spoken Word. He is featured in director Jane Han’s spoken word poetry documentary "Urban Scribe," and stars in the independent film "Hunting In America." He recently published a spoken word epic, "The Prophet Returns." His debut album, "Problem Child," was released in 2005.

For more information about Bain's Pittsburg State performance, please contact Ed Wirthwein at 620-235-4795. For more information about Bryonn Bain, visit his Web site at .

---Pitt State---