Kelsey Ogbewe

Kelsey Ogbewe (he/him) is a poet, essayist, and recording artist with a passion for storytelling. He describes himself as a storyteller who finds his voice in rap, nurtures it with jazz, and offers it as poetry. Born and raised in Montgomery County by Nigerian and Haitian parents, Kelsey started writing and performing in 2012. Since then, he has released a six-song poetry EP, read for a Hurston/Wright Foundation event commemorating Black August, published poems in The Amistad (Howard University) and Stylus (University of Maryland), featured at Busboys & Poets' 450K location in Washington, D.C., spoken at local school events, and performed as a guest artist with the Baltimore-based nonprofit Speak Life Tour. Kelsey's work explores Black personhood, liberation, relationships, education, and spirituality. He aims to promote self-discovery and creative freedom for the working masses of the Black diaspora. Ultimately, Kelsey hopes his creative work conveys the same sincerity that Malcolm X spoke of: "I want to be remembered as someone who was sincere. Even if I made mistakes, they were made in sincerity." Kelsey's prose, poetry, and performances are available on Medium, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and other online platforms.