Today we’d like to introduce you to Taryn Wharwood.
Taryn, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Miami, FL. Everything I learned about poetry and Spoken Word, I learned in Miami starting with my mom and a small private school located in Dania, FL called The Ebony Village School. Starting at the age of five, I learned about poetry, African American Authors, Poets and history. Every morning, our entry into school was to recite a poem or a quote, following it up with “My name is Taryn Wharwood and I have a great mind.” The school was founded by Drs. Merita Green and Josephine Ivey.
From there I have been afforded opportunities to take my poetry not only throughout the State of Florida but throughout the country and Canada. I am one of the cofounders of the longest-running open mic in Jacksonville history, The Cypher Open Mic Poetry & Soul. Which started on the heels of We Speak Poetry, founded by Tonya Smart. Myself, Matthew “Cuban” Hernandez and Al Pete started The Cypher and are proud to say that it is still currently running. Last year, I decided to pursue other endeavors, including The Closet Jax: Mature SpeakEasy for The LGBTQ+ Crowd and allies. I am a published author, radio personality, spoken word artist, speaker, host, emcee and curator of Dopeness.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has been full of plot twists, turns, detours, deer, snowstorms, hail, sleet, thunderstorms, tornadoes, Gail force winds, rocks, bricks and anything else you can imagine. Struggles range from little to no audience, closing venues, lost friendships and partnerships, time away from family, loss of funding, scrapping pennies just to make ends meet all in the name of wanting to provide opportunities for artists of every walk of life. To be completely honest, it has all been worth it.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the IAmLoveReigns Enterprises story. Tell us more about your work.
IamLoveReigns Enterprises is an all-inclusive multimedia entertainment company that strives to cultivate love through the arts. I am a person who loves the arts. The truth of the matter is that everything I’ve done, I started from selfish reasons. If there was a particular kind of vibe I was seeking that just where I needed it to be, I created it.
I am one of the co-founders of the longest-running open mic in Jacksonville history, The Cypher Open Mic Poetry & Soul (11 years). I am also the creator of The Closet Jax, a powerful LGBTQ+ centric event. What sets us apart is that at the center of everything we do is love. As simple and as complex as that is. We do it. It doesn’t matter the struggle it takes to curate experiences, we do it because we know the community longs for it.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see poets and spoken word artists being more widely tapped into. I see major voiceover deals, hosting major local and national level events. I see poets standing on Oscar and Grammy stages accepting and presenting awards. I see a world where the appreciation of art is no longer a second thought.
Contact Info:
- Address: Opa Locka, FL 33055
- Website: www.iamlovereigns.com
- Phone: 7862628470
- Email: iamlovereigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlovereigns
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamlovereigns
- Twitter: Check out these search results: https://twitter.com/hashtag/iamlovereigns?s=09
Image Credit:
BamaBoi Media
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