Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
Nikia Chaney
By Lue Dowdy, SANBERNARDINO, CA – Artist Review: This week I selected the lovely and talented Nikia Chaney. Nikia was select because of the wonderful work she does in the community and at the colleges highlighting Creative Writing. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing this amazing talent recite poetry. I can’t say enough how gifted she is.
Nikia is a wife and a mother of five beautiful children. Nikia is currently an educator, teaching English composition at San Bernardino Valley Community College and a community service leader, organizing and working with several literary organizations here in the Inland Empire.
Receiving two MFAs in Creative Writing, Nikia’s life is filled with literature, teaching, reading to children, and writing. While the subjects of her writing vary, Nikia finds herself writing about the places here in Southern California and the Inland Empire. “I’ve been in San Bernardino/Rialto for over 15 years. I have been a poet for only a few years. I have always loved to read. But when I discovered poetry I couldn’t let go. I also love teaching and working with in the community”- Says Nikia.
Nikia pays respect and homage to the women that have paved the way for her such as, writers, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. Inspired by the wonderful women entrepreneurs and community organizers surrounding her, she’s currently working on a few projects. Nikia is editing an anthology of “call and response” poetry for Black History Month with Orange Monkey Publishing. The book launch is scheduled for Feb, 2014.
She has two chapbooks published: Sis Fuss (Orange Monkey Publishing, 2013) and ladies, please (Dancing Girl Press, forthcoming). She’s also in the process of partnering with Salt + Spice and organization that creates community events. They’re planning to open up a small venture called Local Treasures that can feature the artwork of local artists. Please check out her online magazine, shufPoetry, which showcases experimental poetry. Nikia will be conducting poetry workshops at a local bookstore coming soon. What an amazing woman!
For more on Nikia and her work, visit these links: www.nikiachaney.com,http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0615752373, www.callanthology.com, www.shufpoetry.com, www.saltandspice.wordpress.com,www.orangemonkeypublishing.com, www.inlandiajournal.org,www.localauthorpe.com.
