Genea Brice
American poet
Dr. Genea Brice is an American poet. She was the first Poet Laureate of Vallejo, California .[ 2]
Biography
Dr. Genea Sheles Brice was born in Oakland, California [ 1] and raised in Vallejo, California.[ 3] She is a graduate of Hogan Senior High School in Vallejo.[ 4] She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with a concentration in English Literature and a Teaching Credential from Patten University .[ 5] [ 3] She went on to the Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College to earn her Master of Arts and doctorate in Theological Studies.[ 5] [ 3] In addition to becoming Vallejo's first poet laureate, she served on the Commission on Culture and the Arts.[ 4] Following her service as poet laureate she briefly relocated to Dallas, Texas in 2018.[ 4] She currently resides in Vacaville, California [ 6] and works as a teacher.[ 7]
Poetry
A poetry aficionado since her youth,[ 8] Dr. Brice advocated[ 9] [ 10] for the founding of the poet laureate program in Vallejo.[ 11] She served as poet laureate of Vallejo, California from August 2015 to September 2017.[ 12] During her tenure, she performed at several local events and celebrations, including Art Walk,
[ 13] Visions of the Wild,[ 13] Women's History Month,[ 14] Juneteenth,[ 15] Martin Luther King Jr. Day ,[ 16] and a vigil after the Charlottesville car attack .[ 17] She taught students about Martin Luther King Jr. ,[ 18] gave presentations on Maya Angelou and Sonia Sanchez for Voices of Change[ 19] and spoke about Ernest J. Gaines at the Solano County Library.[ 20] Dr. Brice lead a monthly poetry circle, Poetry in Notion,[ 21] and hosted annual shows for National Poetry Month.[ 21] [ 22] She also spoke at events for numerous organizations including Alpha Kappa Alpha , NAACP, Community Democratic Club, Delta Sigma Theta , The Links , Rotary Club , Harvest House, United States Forest Service , Soroptimist International , and Vallejo Sister Cities.[ 12] She was succeeded as poet laureate by D.L. Lang in 2017.[ 2]
In 2020 Dr. Brice performed at a rally against police violence in Vallejo.[ 23] In 2021 she performed at a virtual benefit for the Solano County Library Foundation.[ 24] [ 25] [ 26] She also read at the Juneteenth flag raising at Martin Luther King, Jr. park in Vallejo,[ 27] [ 6] [ 28] and at another commemoration of Juneteenth in Suisun City.[ 29] [ 30] She also performed with her successors at Alibi Bookshop.[ 31] [ 32] In 2022 she read in Fairfield at a Juneteenth event for the Solano County Library.[ 33] [ 34] In 2023 she helped high school seniors with a Black History Month poetry project,[ 35] and performed at the Cordelia Library for National Poetry Month, [ 36] and at Alibi Bookshop for the Vallejo Poetry Festival.[ 37] In 2024 she performed at a Black History Month event in Vallejo,[ 38] an event promoting literacy in Fairfield,[ 39] and at the Fairfield Library with fellow poets laureate.[ 40]
Works
Poetry collections
Anthologies
Publications
Brice, Genea, “A Tuesday Text,” Benicia Herald, October 7, 2020.[ 43]
Brice, Genea, “Galveston,” Benicia Herald , June 18, 2021.[ 44]
Brice, Genea, “Vacaville,” The Diablo Gazette, April 2022.[ 45]
Memoir
Weaned in the Desert: Souvenirs from Sacred Seasons with my Savior Xulon Press. 2010. ISBN 9781615797271 [ 46]
Spoken word album
A Way with Words: The Poet Speaks (2024)
See also
References
^ a b Widjojo, Irma (2015-07-28). "Vallejo woman named cities first poet laureate" . The Washington Times . Archived from the original on 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2019-08-20 .
^ a b "VAL-L-PoetBrice-0831" . timesheraldonline.com . 12 August 2018. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2019 .
^ a b c d "Verses, Voices and Visions of Vallejo" . vallejopoetrysociety.org . Vallejo Poetry Society. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ a b c Freedman, Richard (June 28, 2018). "Vallejo's first Poet Laureate moving to Texas" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019 .
^ a b c d e f "Genea S. Brice" . emergeamerica.org . Emerge California. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ a b Freedman, Richard (2 June 2021). "No Juneteenth event, but flag flies to honor slavery's end" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021 .
^ Coleman, Monica (12 September 2023). "Effective Black Parenting Program is back at Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District" . ABC10. Retrieved 20 October 2023 .
^ Widjojo, Irma. "Vallejo woman named city's first poet laureate" . Washington Times . Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2021 .
^ "Vallejo appoints two poets laureate in historic first" . Vallejo Times Herald. 25 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023 .
^ Brice, Genea (28 February 2013). "Poet Laureates in Vallejo" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021 .
^ Egitto, Daniel (6 October 2023). "Vallejo seeks next poet laureate" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023 .
^ a b "Proclamation Honoring Genea Brice as the First Poet Laureate for the City of Vallejo" . City of Vallejo . Retrieved 3 June 2021 .[permanent dead link ]
^ a b De Guzman, Dianne (10 October 2015). "Vallejo Poet Laureate Genea Brice honored during Art Walk reception" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Rogness, Jessica (23 March 2018). "Solano County honors Barton at Women's History Luncheon" . The Vacaville Reporter. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Freedman, Richard (9 June 2016). "June 9 Vallejo A&E Source: Amos Carter back at Vallejo Juneteenth — as the singing pastor" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Hansen, Todd (16 January 2018). "MLK Day March in Vallejo celebrates King, his call to action" . Fairfield Daily Republic. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Glidden, John (14 August 2017). "Vallejoans stand up to bigotry, hate" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Brinkerhoff, Noel (7 February 2016). "Poet laureate teaches legacy of Martin Luther King" . Napa Valley Register. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Sestanovich, Nick (21 March 2018). "3 poets laureate to celebrate 6 female poets in free library event" . Benicia Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Flavell, Kay (29 March 2017). "Celebrating the power of mentors" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ a b Sestanovich, Nick (8 April 2016). "JFK Library in Vallejo will celebrate National Poetry Month" . Benicia Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ "Listen to local poets at Saturday library event" . Fairfield Daily Republic. 14 April 2017. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ Miller, Caroline (28 June 2020). "Wrong Side of History" . Vallejo Times-Herald. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020 .
^ "The Week Ahead: Talk with Solano poets goes virtual" . Fairfield Daily Republic. 19 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Maginnis-Honey, Amy (18 April 2021). "Solano poets to share words of hope, encouragement at virtual How Poetry Heals event" . Fairfield Daily Republic. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Freedman, Richard (8 April 2021). "Always Something to Celebrate" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Raskin-Zrihen, Rachel (2 June 2021). "Juneteenth flag flies for first time over Vallejo" . Fairfield Daily Republic. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021 .
^ Freedman, Richard (17 June 2021). "Juneteenth National Independence Day becomes federal holiday" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021 .
^ Sestanovich, Nick (21 June 2021). "Suisun City recognizes Juneteenth with brief ceremony" . The Vacaville Reporter. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021 .
^ "Suisun City hosts Juneteenth commemoration Monday" . Fairfield Daily Republic . 20 June 2021. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021 .
^ Freedman, Richard (24 August 2021). "Rare time three poets laureate gather" . Vallejo Times-Herald. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021 .
^ Freedman, Richard (7 September 2021). "September 9 Arts and Entertainment Source Always Something to Celebrate" . Vacaville Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021 .
^ "Solano Library Foundation to host Willie Brown Jr. for Juneteenth event" . Fairfield Daily Republic. May 11, 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022 .
^ "Willie Brown Jr. speaking at the Hilton Garden Inn in June" . Vallejo Times Herald. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022 .
^ Bruce, Suzanne (5 February 2023). "Poetry Connection: Rodriguez High poets ponder Black experience" . Fairfield Daily Republic. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^ "At the Library: A Pageantry of Poetry celebrates National Poetry Month" . Fairfield Daily Republic. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023 .
^ Baker, Jordan (14 April 2023). "Indulge in poetry with an alibi" . Vallejo Times Herald. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023 .
^ "Black History Month at Solano libraries" . The Daily Republic. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024 .
^ Hiland, Susan (10 March 2024). "Adult learners, tutors for Solano Literacy Program celebrated" . Fairfield Daily Republic. Retrieved 10 March 2024 .
^ "Solano county poet laureates guests gather for a poetry affair" . Daily Republic. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024 .
^ "August 31 Vallejo A&E Source: Vallejo's former poet laureate stays at it – Times-Herald" . timesheraldonline.com . 29 August 2017. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019 .
^ "Poeming Pigeons: Poems about Birds" . thepoetrybox.com . The Poetry Box. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019 .
^ "Yearning to Breathe Free Vol 47" . marysusangast.com . 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021 .
^ "Not There Yet Vol 4" . marysusangast.com . 22 June 2021. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021 .
^ Brice, Genea (April 2022). " "Vacaville" " (PDF) . No. April 2022, page 10. The Diablo Gazette. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2022 .
^ "Bit a dry eye when Brice finished "Weaned in the Desert" – Times-Herald" . timesheraldonline.com . 5 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019 .
Poets Laureate of Vallejo, California