I am a cheerleader for the underdog, the server, the janitor, the ones that wait on us when we can do it ourselves. This gentleman’s words remind us that we are blessed and privileged . I honor all those that have showered me with a moment of pampering when I could have stepped up and helped out. Service is a luxury, not a right.
GUANTE is a hip hop artist, two-time National Poetry Slam champion, activist, educator and writer. He and/or his work has appeared on Upworthy, MSNBC, Racialicious, Feministing, MPR, Everyday Feminism, Night Vale Radio, the Progressive, City Pages’ “Artists of the Year” list and URB Magazine’s “Next 1000” list, and he has performed everywhere from the United Nations to the Soundset hip hop festival to hundreds of colleges, clubs, and theaters across the country.
Whether deconstructing traditional notions of masculinity, challenging dominant narratives related to race and racism, or just telling stories about the different jobs he’s had, Guante strives to push boundaries in terms of both form and substance. Unapologetically social justice-minded, he’s shared stages with artists like Talib Kweli, Saul Williams, Brother Ali, Dead Prez, Sage Francis, Andrea Gibson, and many more. Guante also serves as a teaching artist on the rosters of COMPAS and TruArtSpeaks (where he also serves as Communication Director), engaging in writing and performance residencies with youth, as well as regularly facilitating workshops and classes on a range of social justice issues.
