"Your Words Matter." ~ Martin Luther King, III

TAMA BRISBANE is a writer, literary & performing arts consultant, cultural organizer, and Stockton Poet Laureate Emerita. Her nearly three decades of work lives at the intersection of language, culture, history, imagination and public impact. Her tireless work on behalf of youth -- particularly young voices from the margins and from communities of color -- has been recognized by both houses of the California Legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

From classrooms and community stages to symphony halls, state celebrations, national conferences, and global arts collaborations, Tama presents words as creative opportunities for witness, healing, courage, “good trouble,” and change. Her career has included nearly 400 public presentations, keynote performances, youth poetry programs, innovative curriculum designs, cultural preservation campaigns, and countless collaborations across the arts, education, advocacy, and media. Her award-winning works have positively shifted artistic, cultural and civic landscapes in Stockton and the Central Valley, across the United States, and around the world.

 MAMA T: SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS

• Stockton Poet Laureate Emerita
• Inaugural Stockton Poet Laureate, 2015-2023
• Susan B. Anthony Award Winner for Creative Arts
• University of the Pacific Woman of Distinction
• Black Women Organized for Political Action Honoree
• Delta Leadership Academy for Environmental Advocacy
• Zócalo Public Square Contributor & LA Press Club-nominated essayist
• Founding Member of the National Black Poet Laureates Society
• Co-Founder of The Expression Lab youth arts initiative in Zambia
• Co-Founder/Executive Director of With Our Words