Tigertail's WordSpeak is an ongoing spoken word project for teens that includes workshops in writing and performing, and public events such as open mics, poetry slams and readings. Each year Tigertail's WordSpeak sends a team to the national teen spoken word slam and festival Brave New Voices. This year's WordSpeak includes a weeklong residency for teens with Boston-based, Nigerian-born singer and award-winning spoken word poet Iyeoka Okoawo. Iyeoka brings a warm spirit, stirring lyrics and passionate performances to her work. Widely considered one of the top performance poets in the country, Iyeoka has earned her reputation by performing on the National Poetry Slam circuit for the past eight years, with the Jeff Robinson Trio and as a member of the acclaimed Bull Horn Collective and Blackout Arts Collective. She was featured in the 2009 Brave New Voices International Festival in Chicago.

Iyeoka Okoawo will lead workshops for students at Miami-Dade high schools. The youth component of the residency culminates in a WordSpeak open mic and slam for teens, ages 14 to 19 years hosted by Iyeoka Okoawo and South Florida-based guest artists at the Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd Street, Miami Beach, on Thursday, April 15 at 6:00 pm. This is an opportunity for teens to read and perform their poetry, as well as to experience Iyeoka's performance work. The slam is the first in a series of competitions to win a place on the Miami team sponsored by Tigertail Productions that will travel to Los Angeles this summer for the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival.

"Poetry is the silver lining of my clouded adolescence. Tigertail acted as the seamstress with silver piping" – James Sprang, WordSpeak 2009 team member.

More on Iyeoka Okoawo at www.iyeoka.com

Targeted support for WordSpeak and the Iyeoka Okoawo residency comes from Alternate ROOTS C/APP program, Books & Books, The Children's Trust, E.S. Moore Family Foundation, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, City of Miami Beach Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council, Miami Dade Public Library, Miami Dade Public Schools, Miami River Inn, National Performance Network with major funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency), Altria, MetLife Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation; and Publix Super Markets Charities.

Tigertail's 30th season is made possible by community partners and supporters including Season partners and supporters: Aquarius Press; Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation; Audrey Love Charitable Foundation; Barefoot Wine; Biscayne Times; Books & Books; Bresaro Suites; Centro Cultural Español (CCE); The Children's Trust; City of Coral Gables Cultural Arts Program; City of Miami Beach Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Consulate General of the Netherlands; Dade Community Foundation; Dorsch Gallery; E.S. Moore Family Foundation; Florida Dance Association; Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council; Funding Arts Network; The Galler Group; Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau; Grolsch; Meet The Composer's MetLife Creative Connections program; MiamiARTzine.com; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; Miami-Dade County Public Library; Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Miami River Inn; National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and additional funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Community Connections Fund of the MetLife Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; National Performance Network with major funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency), Altria, MetLife Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation; the New Hotel; Pridelines; Publix Super Markets Charities; River Lounge; Safe Schools South Florida; The Sain-Orr Royak DeForest Steadman Foundation; Rain Organics; River Lounge; The Law Office of Linda M. Smith; Southern Arts Federation; VSA Arts of Florida; Vortex Communications; WDNA & WLRN FM and our many private supporters.