Shay Alexi
Shay Alexi is a queer, femme poet and performance artist based in Atlanta, GA. They placed first in the nation with their slam teams at the 2018 National Poetry Slam Group Piece Finals and the 2018 Feminine Empowerment Movement Slam (FEMS). Shay’s poems “Song of the Prettybird” and “And This Time the Butter Rejects the Knife” were featured by Button Poetry and, along with other online video content, have amassed over 150,000 views.
Shay is the author of DIARY OF A GHOST GIRL, a winning entry in the Glass Poetry Chapbook contest. They were the winner of the 2017 Brett Elizabeth Jenkins Poetry Prize, and their work has been published by The Rumpus, Tinderbox Poetry, Alternating Current, and Write About Now, amongst others.
Having earned her BFA in Acting from Ball State University, Shay’s performances are dynamic and innovative in both subject matter and physicality. They are an artist that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
Additionally, her accreditation in the theatrical arts enables Shay to offer a variety of workshops in both writing and performance. Shay has taught or coached students at Agnes Scott College, the University of Georgia, the University of Minnesota, and Ball State University. A full list of workshops is available at request.
Shay’s work aims to celebrate the power of femininity and queerness, performing poetry as a means of promoting healing and cultivating joy. They believe deeply in language as a tool of personal liberation and enhanced empathy, as sharing stories is our society’s driving means of relating to one another and better understanding ourselves.
Shay is a Pisces sun with a Pisces moon, meaning they are, in fact, the softest person you’ll ever know. Their favorite color is yellow, and their favorite way to be is in love.