Today we’d like to introduce you to Verb Kulture.
Hi Verb, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and from a young age, I’ve had a deep love for the arts. I began performing when I was just six years old, exploring various forms of creative expression like poetry, music, dance, and crafts. I am mother, wife, artistic innovator, dancer, poet, writer, producer, and community leader. Entrepreneurship has always been in my blood, driving me to carve out my own path in life and within the arts community. With a natural gift for innovation, I’ve always been drawn to creating opportunities to bring people together and give back to the community.
In 2008, I made the bold move to Dallas, where I saw the chance to connect with fellow artists and entrepreneurs. It was here that I founded Verb Kulture, a platform aimed at fostering collaboration and creativity. Our journey began in a humble barbershop called ClipMode in Fort Worth, where I hosted our very first open mic and networking event. Despite a slow start with only five attendees in the first three weeks, I realized that our events needed a deeper purpose.
That’s when we decided to partner with Domestic Violence Shelters and transform our gatherings into opportunities to give back. By asking the community to donate toys for children and families affected by domestic violence during Christmas, we not only packed the house but also made a meaningful impact on the lives of many families while providing a stage for the performance arts community. It was a win-win situation, and in that moment, I knew that Verb Kulture was more than just an event – it was a movement meant to make a difference. I also realized that it was a movement that represented me as an artist which is why I also adopted that stage name. Verb Kulture is the art of being a movement and a way of life. That’s me!
Fast forward to today, and Verb Kulture has become a cornerstone of the Dallas/Fort Worth arts scene, providing a platform for emerging artists and producing a variety of shows, including the Changing Faces Masquerade Ball and the Harlem Renaissance Extravaganza. Through my role as Executive Director of Infinite Arts Movement Inc., a nonprofit performing arts organization, I’m able to further our mission of creating an artistic ecosystem in North Texas and providing free training to youth in underserved communities.
I’ve had the honor of being featured on TVOne’s Verses and Flow and hosting annual events like the Denton Black Film Festival’s Poetry Get Down, and Arlington’s MLK Poetry Meets Jazz celebration. My band, Verb Kulture’s Revolution and Funk Project, brings a unique blend of spoken word and funk to the stage, captivating audiences with our performances.
In recent years, Infinite Arts Movement has been recognized with grants from organizations like the Moody Arts Fund, Frisco Arts Foundation, and the Elevator Project, allowing us to expand our reach and impact. As a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and creative, I’m deeply passionate about making a positive impact in the arts community and prioritizing impact over popularity.
You can find me on social media under the handles @ArtistVerb, @VerbKulture, and @infiniteartsmovement, and catch me at my residencies, including the Verb Kulture’s Rhythm and Reverb Open Mic at Free Man Cafe every Sunday 5-8 pm, and P.O.P. Kulture (Poetry on the Patio) at The Wild Detectives Monthly (Next one April 5th) and Upcoming Show Verb Kulture’s Marvin Gaye Tribute March 30th at Free Man Cafe 7 pm. Let’s keep the creative journey going together! Verb Kulture will celebrate 15 years of impact in the arts community April 3rd, 2024. Please share info on our 11th Annual Harlem Renaissance Extravaganza, happening June 29th to celebrate Black Music Month and Juneteenth. Tickets for all of our events can be purchased at www.verbkultureevents.com.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. The creative process is never smooth. The journey of life is never smooth. The paths are full of lessons and tears, laughter, and beautiful connections between artists…between people…between our stories. In the beginning, I struggled with being an artist, an entrepreneur, and a single mom. The struggle was more in choosing to do what I know I was created to do and doing what I know I had to do to provide for my family. We are always told to have a plan b. I never really believed in Plan B. I am a firm believer that the only plan I need is the one GOD has for me. So, if I know in my heart and soul that I am in alignment with why GOD created me, then I know that I don’t need a backup plan. I know that God will make a way even if I can’t see the way. And He has proven this to me over and over again, which is why my faith is unwavering. I knew that the road would not be easy, but I also knew that I would make it through as long as I stayed in alignment with GOD’s plan for my life. The hardest part of the journey is keeping the faith and holding on to those times you made it when you thought you wouldn’t. I have struggled financially all while trying to teach my children to always give back to the community. Those times seemed rough. Now, I am grateful to have opportunities to teach the younger generation of artists that some of us were created to be artists and that there is a superpower in that. And that superpower isn’t meant to be understood. It’s ours to give to the world freely and proudly. Everything we get to enjoy today was created by an artistic mind. Someone who dared to believe that something different was possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I think I answered some of this in the first question, but what sets me apart from others is that I am not like others. I am me. I was created to be only me and bring my unique energy to this world. I don’t think like anyone else. I don’t move like anyone else. I look different. I experience the world in a different manner, and my perception and journey is different. My ideas are different, and I am not afraid to NOT fit into the box, or not fit the mold, or not be understood. I actually love that about me. I am most proud of being a mother, wife, and having the courage to teach my children that it is ok to be themselves. I am proud to teach my students that there is a power in being an artist. I am proud to be able to care for my family and be myself all the time. There is a freedom in being yourself ALL the time!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Yes, so so many lessons! Covid-19 taught us all. We all had to learn to adapt to change more quickly. Infinite Arts Movement Inc. was birthed as a direct result of Covid 19. Artists and creatives were left out with almost all of the assistance programs. My family is an artistic family. My husband is a full-time artist. I am a full-time artist. And We had no clue how we were going to make it. My friends all shared our struggles because they were artists. I realized that artists’ careers weren’t really valued as important as other careers or ways of living. But then I thought of how backward that is because, without creative minds, we wouldn’t have cars, houses, roads, music, television, and many other things we get to enjoy on a daily basis. There was no ecosystem for artists to make a living take care of their families without being famous, or a teacher in the school systems, etc. We especially can’t expect to all of our time to the community and still be able to provide for our families. As an artist, I want to do my part is changing that. Infinite Arts Movement Inc. is the start for me. I also learned that we are slowly slipping away from human connection. We are losing that need to physically be in front of others and share a genuine connection that you can’t always get virtually. I think we will always benefit from personal interaction that doesn’t involve technology. I write a lot about technology and the addiction to it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.verbkultureevents.com and www.artsmovement.org
- Instagram: @verbkulture @artistverb @infiniteartsmovement
- Facebook: Facebook.com/verbkultureent and Facebook.com/infiniteartsmovement
- Twitter: @verbkulture
- Youtube: Verbkulture
Image Credits
Steve Glick
