Cheeraz Gormon

Storyteller, poet, author and award-winning advertising creative Cheeraz Gormon is from St. Louis, and every bit a native daughter. Her poetry has been featured in media in St. Louis, London, Portland (Oregon), the Huffington Post, on St. Louis Public Radio and Ebony Magazine. She isa sought-after speaker, appearing at TEDxGatewayArch and other venues to discuss brain drain, branding, community activism and social justice. She is the founder and executive director of Sonic Arts United, a S.T.E.A.M. based nonprofit, and STLNightWriters, a writing workshop and reading series. Cheeraz also serves as vice chair of Creative Reaction Lab, a nonprofit designed to empower communities to address their most pressing needs through creative problem-solving. She is an apexart 2016 International Fellow, and is the author of “In The Midst of Loving,” a collection of poems and selected writings released in March 2015.