Mahlikah Aweri

Mahlikah Awe:ri is a drum talk poetic rapologist; arts educator and activist of African-American/Mohawk (Kahnawa:ke) & Mi’kmaw (Bear River) heritage, with Nova Scotian roots. Her poetic performances have been witnessed coast to coast. She is a founding member of Red Slam Collective and Coordinator for their 4 Directions Arts Projects. In 2011 she released the EP Serpent’s Skin with Isaac Riverwalker and 2 Dream In Colour was published in the 6th Edition of Diaspora Dialogues TOK. She is on the artist roster for OAC’s Aboriginal Artists in the Schools, and her poem A Dying Breed is featured in the latest IFPOR anthology. In 2012 she was a curator for the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word First Nations Showcase and the Emergence Community Arts Practice Conference at Harbourfront; she headlined at Gathering of Nations in New Mexico, Sentinel Shores in Vancouver, and NXNE in Toronto with Red Slam. In 2012 she was invited to speak at the Toronto District School Board Sister 2 Sister Conference for Grade 8 Girls; Lost Lyrics 5th Annual Conference for Youth; and as a member of the 2012 Individuality & Collectivity May Works Arts Panel. Locally she is the artistic director for indigenous centered arts initiatives at Daniels Centre for Learning Regent Park, and producer/host for www.radioregent.com’s monthly broadcast OneVoice. Since December Awe:ri has been utilizing her words and music to support the ever growing global movement IDLENOMORE both in Toronto and in Ottawa. In 2013 expect a full length LP release from Red Slam.

Mahlikah is a Short Form 2010 mentee and worked with Rishma Dunlop.