Desdamona was born and attended school in Iowa. She struggled at all subjects but math and art. A childhood inspiration for her music was her father, who would dress up as Count Dracula and tell bedtime stories to her. In high school, Desdamona and her friends formed a band in which Desdamona was the rapper, inspired by the R&B group TLC. When she moved to Minneapolis, she found an audience for her work. She began to go to open mic nights to perform her poetry. In this way, she became known as a spoken word artist. This was not her original intention, but someting that she says made her a better writer.

Of her namesake, Desdamona says, "...What she represented was a voice that was silenced. And when I took on that name, I decided to not be silent. Ever."

"When I moved here," She says, "I wanted to find an outlet, and I couldn't really get in the door anywhere. So I found open mics and I started to perform my lyrics as poetry and got known as a spoken-word artist. The truth is that's not what I was initially, but becoming a spoken-word artist actually made me a better writer."

Desdamona's writing and performance focuses on themes of domestic violence, self-esteem, individual identity, being an outsider, and being a woman in hip hop. Much of her work touches on social issues. Desdamona has worked in over 200 schools throughout the Midwest and recently visited a school in France conducting workshops as artist in residence. She has worked with more than 15,000 students in public, private, and alternative schools as well as colleges, universities, and prisons.

Performances of Note

Featured Vocalist | Ursus Minor, "Don't Take But For An Answer" Tour France 2010

Featured Vocalist | Ursus Minor, Son D'Hiver Festival Paris, France 2010

Performer | We B Girlz Festival Berlin, Germany 2008

Performer | 2nd Nature Tour Midwest Region, USA 2008

Featured Guest | Summer Jam Tour With Grammy Award winners Sly & Robbie 2007

Featured Performer | Minnesota Music Awards First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 2005

Experience

Workshop Leader | Urban League Youth Leadership Camps | Minnesota 2001-Present Guest speaker and performer working with inner city youth

Guest Performer/Workshop Leader | The Lab | St. Paul, MN 2008-Present Arts & Wellness Program for special education youth 7th-12th grade

Curriculum Development/Teacher | "Too Big For My Skin" Campaign | MN, IL, IA, WA 2009-Present Teaching in state colleges, universities, middle schools, and high schools

Substitute Teacher | PYC School | Minneapolis, MN 2008-Present

Spoken Word & Hip Hop Teacher | MacPhail School of Music Summer Hip Hop Camp | Minneapolis, MN 2008-Present

Awards and Honors

2009 Urban Griots Award| MN Spoken Word Association

People's award for "Two Tongues"

Judges Award for "Best Open Mic Series" | Blue Nile Open Mic

People's Award for "Best Spoken Word Feature On Album"

"Press Rewind," Something Random LP | Cheap Cologne 2007, 2005

MN State Arts Board "Artist Initiative Grant" Recipient

2005 SASE The Write Place "Verve Grant" Recipient

2003-2006 MN Music Award for "Best Spoken Word Artist"

2000 MN Music Award for "Best Spoken Word Artist"

Additional Information

Creator | Too Big For My Skin Campaign, A video campaign with focus on promoting positive images of women in the media. Based off of Desdamona's poem "Too Big For My Skin." 2010

Co-Founder | B-Girl Be A celebration of women involved in the four elements of hip-hop (DJ, MC, Graffiti, Breakdance) 2005