On May 24, 2024, Concord Academy will welcome Porsha Olayiwola as the Commencement speaker for the graduating class of 2024. A writer, performer, and futurist, Olayiwola draws inspiration from a rich cultural and career background as a Black American poet based in the Boston area. Her efforts to shed light on cultural marginalization and societal values through creative expressions have led her to further engagement in learning and sharing her knowledge.
Born in Chicago, Olayiwola pursued African American studies and Gender and Women’s studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she received her bachelor’s degree. She later earned a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from Emerson College.
Since then, Olayiwola has written and published numerous poems, exploring the dynamics among history, culture, and community through Afro-futurism and surrealism. She earned the titles of Individual World Poetry Slam Champion and National Poetry Slam Champion in 2014 and 2015 respectively, and co-founded The House Slam, Boston’s first poetry slam venue, with poet Janae Johnson.
As Brown University’s 2019 Heimark artist-in-residence as well as the 2021 artist-in-residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Olayiwola had the opportunity to delve deeper into the intersections of art, writing, and education. Her findings were woven into her poetry collection in I Shimmer Sometimes, Too, a book published in 2019. As Button Poetry notes, “[It is] a gentle breaking and an inventive reconstruction…a book of self and community-care―in pursuit of building a world that will not only keep you alive but will keep you joyful.” Highlighting resilience and power, Olayiwola’s writings continue to spread awareness of the use of language and the importance of owning one’s story.
Working to bring the ideas behind her writing into action, Olayiwola also created various community spaces for active discussion and discovery through creative outlets. Having served as the artistic director at Massachusetts Literary Education and Performance (MassLEAP), she was able to interact with a diverse group of youths through this literary non-profit organization in Massachusetts, building a voice for the next generation of emerging artists. Olayiwola also founded the Roxbury Poetry Festival—a free event open to the public that brings together writers, panelists, and curators who share a common love for creative expression.
Upon her appointment as the Boston Poet Laureate in 2019, the city notes, “[She] sought to revolutionize how the City of Boston interacts with poetry. She is interested in meeting with and exploring organizations and artists in the local area as well as representing them in the national sphere. Her commitment lies in youth artists, emerging artists, and building community spaces that grow.” Her work to empower youth and highlight resistance movements has paved the way for a more diverse community that embraces all voices and encourages active exploration.
Similar themes of resilience and discovery have also been particularly prominent in the graduating senior class. Overcoming challenges of their own, the class began their CA journey during the pandemic with a demanding schedule of online classes. As they adapted to the rigorous environment at CA, they too transformed into leaders within the community, sharing their love of learning through engagement in classes, sports, and various community-building opportunities. Olayiwola’s address to the community will strengthen the bonds forged between students and serve as a transition into the senior class’ next chapter.