Makin' Cake

Named Poet Laureate of Wisconsin and Artist of the Year by the City of Milwaukee in 2021, Dasha Kelly Hamilton introduces herself as a “writer, performer, facilitator, mother, daughter, sister, builder, dreamer, phenomenon and change agent.”  An internationally traveled speaker, she hosts live storytelling events for “The Moth,” has released four spoken-word recordings, has written two novels, and appeared on HBO presents Russell Simmon’s “Def Poetry Jam.”   She founded Still Waters Collective in 2002 as an open mic and grew the event into an organization and award-winning community-building initiative.

Dasha Kelly served as an Arts Envoy for the U.S. Embassy to teach, perform, and facilitate community building initiatives in Botswana and the island of Mauritius. She was also an artist in residence in Beirut. She has been an adjunct professor at Mount Mary University, Alverno College, Bryant & Stratton and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and an MA in Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University.