Meet Camelia “Red Writing Hood” Brown in Miami Gardens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Camelia “Red Writing Hood” Brown.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Camelia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started performing Poetry in December 2008. How it all began is simply going through life’s challenges. I was living out of town at the time and did not want to worry my family back home with what I was going through. So instead, I began to write about those things… and then the creative bug bit me and I started to create poems out of what I was writing. I ended up leaving a relationship that I was in at that time and decided to move my two children and I back home, to Miami. When I moved back, my sister-in-law, Chiquita Brown-Harris, assisted me in finding a venue that I could share my writings because I had read a few of the poems that I had written to her, and she thought that people should hear them. She’s the one that told me that places like that existed as I only knew Poetry Spots to exist in movies (“Love Jones”). So, we went on a hunt, called around, etc. Lo and behold, I meet a gentleman online on a social network called “Tagged.” His name was Will “Da Real One” Bell, national/international Spoken Word artist and 2x HBO Def Poet. (Of course, I didn’t know that at the time.) He invited me out to “Saturday Night Live” at the venue he owned called “The Literary Cafe & Poetry Lounge”, and there, is where I was stage-raised and groomed by who would eventually become a very dear friend and Mentor of mine. He taught me everything I know. Will was later shot and killed on May 29th, 2011 outside of his venue.

At the time, I was in processes of releasing my very first album titled “Heartbeat of a Single Mother” that was released in July 2011. After the devastation of losing my Mentor, it was quite hard to pick up and continue the journey of poetry, but I was encouraged by many and though it was tough, I picked up my pen again, and begin to create. I continued… and I am so glad that I did because I have been afforded opportunities of a lifetime just sharing my story… my ups, my downs, and just my all-around experience as a woman in today’s time including being a single mother. I have been extremely Blessed to have been on stage with Jill Scott, Anthony David, and also opened for Sevyn Streeter and Legendary Patti LaBelle. I’ve performed on the Bahamas and Jamaican waters aboard Carnival Cruise lines. I am also a part of the Powerhouse collective of female Poets called “Adams Rib” founded by Living legend, 7x HBO Def Poet, Tony Award winner, “Geogia Me.” I am also in Season 1 of the Spoken Word TV Show, “The Golden Mic” Hosted by the Legendary Sunni Patterson, which was film in New Orleans. I’ve been featured in various cities and states such as Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles, California, Atlanta, Georgia, Winston-Salem, North Carolina to name a few, and also a two-time award recipient of “South Florida’s Female Poet of the Year”, also of the “Spit Your Pen” Award in 2012, and the GANSPA Award in 2016.. Being an artist is not as easy as it looks, it takes a very high level of dedication, integrity, and undeniable passion, all things that cannot be taught. I do my best to remain consistent in my efforts to inspire women mainly, and people in general with my love for this art. I am my own biggest fan, my own team, with an amazing support system in my family and friends.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This has definitely not been an easy road. However, I know that I must stay the course in order to fulfill the destiny God has designed for my life. Some of my struggles include having a demanding day-time job in the world of Payroll. I crunch numbers by day ensuring employees’ pay is correct on a bi-weekly basis, and some days are 12-13 hours long. I would leave work some nights, and depending on the time that I leave, I would have my change of clothes that I “perform” in in the car, and I cannot count the number of times that I have literally changed in my car from a business suit to a catsuit, or a dress, and head inside of a venue for a show in the nick of time, straight to the stage.

Where my children are concerned, they are truly, and extremely supportive of my poetry endeavors. They’ve even been to quite of few of age-appropriate shows in which they sat in the audience and witnessed their Mom doing what she loves. The always tell me how proud they are of me and my accomplishments. But there are many times where I am “home from work” and “out to a venue” in an hour’s time. Some nights, I only have time to ask how their day was in school, check homework, make sure their daily needs are met, and then I’m out the door to whatever poetry night is happening in order to support the arts and/or perform. That is why on weekends, I make SURE I am doing something with my babies because they barely see me during the week between my work schedule and nightlife.

I have performed in some of the toughest emotional states. I can remember performing through a headache so bad, I thought I was going to breakdown on stage. But all the patrons see is your outer appearance, make-up, smile, flawless performance, and photos. They don’t know what it takes sometimes, to get on stage and do what we do as artists.

One of the things I am grateful for is how not only how I support the arts, but how the arts have supported me. I can recall many nights when I was without a day job and the payment for my feature that night put gas in my car after driving my car to the venue in “E”… or sometimes when I’ve been paid at the end of the night, it went to a phone bill or my children’s after-school care expenses.

I don’t want to sound redundant, but being an artist is very real, and so are the struggles. I’ve been on both sides as an employed-by-day artist, and being a full-time artist. You will for sure encounter obstacles both ways. I can promise you that.

What do you do? What do you specialize in?
I am a Spoken Word Artist who goes by the name “Red Writing Hood.” I was named by my late mentor, Will “Da Real One” Bell. His explanation was because I’m red (Skin Tone), and I “write hood.” (LOL.)

I’ve been the voice of women all over speaking on topics such as Domestic Violence, Relationships, and the struggles of being a single mother. My works have touched women to the point where they refer to me as the “Mary J. Blige” of Poetry due to my experience shared in my Poems. My works can also be found on my website at www.redwritinghoodpoet.com.

I have 2 CD compilations. One is titled “Heartbeat of a Single Mother” released in July 2011, and the other is called “Red Tape”, released in July 2016.

The “Red Writing Hood” brand is a representation of “Queenage” and “Ladyism”, and pure strength no matter what it takes to push through our daily lives as women. I seek to inspire on a very high level because so many things women experience go unspoken or unmentioned, and I try to fix that by highlighting tough topics that we tend to hide inside of us by bearing my own truth. It’s my way of letting them know, “You are not alone.” I believe that is the reason God called me to do this. My pain is the canvas that creates the poems I write.

I also utilize the art form that I love so much by giving back to my community. I have an organization called the “Code Red Turkey Drive”, where I collect non-perishable items from various local poets willing to give, and I sow the seed into homeless shelters. It’s an annual practice that I am so very proud of.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were just starting out?
Nothing, I try not to live a life of regret. Everything that has taken place in my life thus far, is exactly what was supposed to happen. I’m almost afraid to go back and “tamper” with any of my experience because I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. Granted, there are lessons that I have indeed learned… but they are mostly from people who I trusted, that wronged me.

Professionally, I would intensify my productivity. There is so much in me that I must get out, and I am working on squeezing it all out through upcoming projects and business plans that I have etched out in notebooks and on my laptop.

Pricing:

• My CD’s are available for $10.00 per unit.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.RedWritingHoodPoet.Com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @Redwritinghoodpoet
• Facebook: Camelia Red Writing Hood Brown
• Twitter: @Reddwritinghood

  Image Credit:
Mark Amrett of “Free Mind Photography”

Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.