Hi, I'm Kelsey O

Junior, UMD transfer student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature. I'm a poet, essayist, and recording artist. I describe myself as a storyteller who finds my voice in rap, nurtures it with jazz, and offers it as poetry. Born and raised in Montgomery County by Nigerian and Haitian parents, I started writing and performing in 2012. Since then, I've released the poetry EP Pieces of a Man. I've read for the Hurston/Wright Foundation’s 2024 Black August event. His poems appear in The Amistad (Howard University) and Stylus (University of Maryland). I've also been featured at Spit Dat and Busboys and Poets, spoken at local school events, and performed as a guest artist with Speak Life Tour, a Baltimore-based nonprofit. Most of my work explores Black personhood, liberation, relationships, education, and spirituality. My goal is to promote self-discovery and creative freedom for the working masses of the Black diaspora. You can find my prose, poetry, and performances on Medium, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and other digital platforms.