Mr. West is a modern day renaissance man whose talents include being an American educator and multi-discipline performance artist, author, hip hop recording artist, poet, activist, and youth advocate. He has been featured in many documentaries about hip hop culture, in addition to his books, he is widely anthologized, and has produced nine hip hop albums along with being interviewed on Newsweek and the New York Times. From winning awards like the ‘2013 Esteem Award’, to being selected as one of 31 LGBT Icons by LGBT History Month, Mr. West has made his name as a quite an inspirational spectacle in society and an important figure who I am blessed to have with me today.