Millwood School Hosts Nationally-Recognized Performance Poet | Arts & Culture

On September 26, 2011, Millwood School will host nationally-recognized performance poet, Daniel Jose Custodio, at their middle and upper school assembly.  Daniel is an award-winning slam poet, author, and teacher and is one of the most recognizable names on the spoken word scene. Daniel’s works share his experiences as a first-generation-Latino, battling socio-economic oppression, all the way up to his present-day victories as an accomplished artist who, among many successes, was the first in his family to graduate from college and graduate school.   

Daniel is a four-time national slam competitor, and in 2009, Daniel and his team won the 2009 SoundBites’ Poetry Festival on Broadway. In 2008 and 2009 he won the PSi Slam Master Slam and was also the runner up in the SoundBites’ Poetry Festival individual competition.  He has taught thousands of disenfranchised, inner-city youth poetry via independent grants, including the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and has also raised money to feed families in need in Richmond city via his talents. Daniel was recognized as one of Richmond's 40 most influential people under the age of 40 "Top 40 under 40" for his community work, using poetry as an instrument of change.

Daniel will visit Millwood to perform several of his poems and then talk about his life experiences as a poet.  Afterward, he will answer questions from the students.  The program, which is open to the public, begins at 8:40 a.m. and will last until approximately 9:15 a.m.

For more information about this event and Millwood School, visit millwoodschool.org or call the school at (804)639-3200.