Rhythm & Flow: Healing The Soul Through Rhyming Words

As we celebrate this month of Black history (yes, we know it’s March), it’s vital to take a look at the new leaders and creatives of the new generation. Black creatives are now being presented with more opportunities to share their stories and reach positions that were nearly impossible in the past. Although these opportunities are available, this doesn’t make the journey simple. With that being said, this week, we’d like to use our platform to spotlight our past fellow — Jiordelysah (Lysah) Lewis, from Brooklyn, New York.

Contrary to the fact Lysah was born in Brooklyn, New York, she was raised in Southern California. At a young age, Lysah was placed into the State’s foster care system, which impacted her life through adulthood. Although it was difficult to cope with, she believes that going through foster care helped sparked her creative outlet.

As a youth, she discovered that dance and poetry provided her an escape from life problems. Lysah explains that it was a way to help express all the emotions she bundled up inside. She soon found ways to rhyme and flow so smoothly it even gained the attention of others. At the precious age of 14, Lysah was announced the Grand Slam Winner by the Los Angeles Times of the first poetry contest she entered.

Although Lysah had passions for poetry and dance, it was only a short-lived escape. As a teenager and young adult, she’s faced suicidal attempts, drug and alcohol abuse, rehab facilities, and even sex trafficking just so she could have food to eat and a place to sleep. Finally, in April 2020, she recalled her turning point after losing her significant other to drug abuse. Lysah decided to make long-term changes for the betterment of her life, and getting accepted to the Creative Futures cohort was just the beginning.

Creative Futures Collective focuses on unearthing the next generation of creatives in disenfranchised communities. Through the cohort, Lysah was able to share her story with like-minded individuals and received a support system to help her stay focused on her new journey. By the end of the program, she received a Futureship opportunity with the A-List which turned into a part time job and is also training to be a supervisor at her local coffee shop. She continues to write poetry in her free-time and motivates herself to reach her full potential. Furthermore, Lysah remains grateful to Creative Futures Collective for giving her a second chance at life.

Some of her future goals are to become a personal assistant in the entertainment industry, poetry publications, buy her first car, and afford comfortable housing in the LA area. Although life may be challenging in this pandemic, Lysah promises to push forward stating that “tragedy is not my first rodeo [and] goals will be made and met regardless.”

All in all, Lysah reminds us that Black excellence does not have an expiration date (like only celebrating black history for the month of February) and that there will always be power through storytelling.

The Numbers

• According to Childrensrights.gov “nearly 424,000 children are in foster care in the United States.”
• An estimate of 20 to 40 million people are experiencing modern day slavery — Dosomething.org
• According to minority health, “In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death for African Americans, ages 15 to 24.”

The Action

• Find out ways to help children living in foster care by visiting: www.togetherwerise.org
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1 (888) 373–7888
• If you know of anyone dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts point them to the National Suicide Prevention Line: 800–273–8255