User:AuraNavarro97/sandbox

Overview:
Gigi Guajardo, more popularly known as Gigi Bella is a slam poet and teaching artist. She was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has won various titles in poetry slam competitions, both individually and as part of a group. She is a published author of the collection of Poems, 22, published by “Swimming with Elephant Publications.” Gigi Bella studied at the University of New Mexico with a major in American studies and a minor in Theatre. She identifies as Chicanx and expresses her colorful identity throughout her work.

Life:
She lived in the Bronx, New York until this year (2019) but is now back in New Mexico. During her time in New York, she was a poetry teaching artist at the Upper East Side Y on 92nd street in Manhattan. She has also taught for Urbanworld. Gigi performed with Project X alongside fellow slam poet, Noel Quiñones. She relocated from Albuquerque, New Mexico to the Bronx, but not before her directorial debut with Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights. The musical was the first all people of color cast in the history of the Albuquerque Community Theater. She was a part of the Albuquerque poetry slam team for two years, in 2013 and 2016. Her poetry is inspired by her Chicanx identity as well as the experience of military deployments in her family, by her aunt and grandfather. Gigi Bella was also a featured speaker at the 2017 Santa Fe women’s march.

Literary Contributions:
22 is Gigi’s collection of poetry published by “Swimming with Elephants Publications” which was published on January 25, 2017. She ranked 10th in the world at the 2017 women of the world poetry slam. She also took home first place in Albuquerque Women’s slam the same year. Gigi was a 2017 Vox champion as well as a 2017 fem slam finalist. She has been featured at Bowery Poetry, Reptilian Lounge, The Parish Austin, The Alley Theater, and many more. She also made it to the Project X finals in 2018.

Works:
22 “Swimming with Elephants Publications” Gigi Bella

Works Cited:
https://alibi.com/art/54939/The-Selena-meets-Athena-Warrior-Poet.html

https://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2018/11/28/gigi-bella-presents-power-of-poetry-during-arts-literature-lab-workshop/

https://gigibellapoetry.wordpress.com/about/

https://gigibellapoetry.wordpress.com/work/