Meet Epifany

Today we’d like to introduce you to Epifany.

Hi Epifany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started out writing short stories when I was in the 2nd grade. I won an honorable mention in our town’s newspaper in Dudley, North Carolina for a story I wrote about kittens. My mom still has the article laminated in her photo album.

From there, I started listening to poems and I became fascinated with rhyming and forming sentences just for fun to see how good I was. When I reached 7th or 8th grade, one of my poems was selected to be featured in a Poetry Anthology that I never got the chance to purchase because I didn’t take it seriously enough, I just thought it was something to do. I always wrote stories and poems all through college but never thought about performing any of them. I remember watching Def Poetry Jam and seeing all the poets that looked like me spitting verses that resonated with things I have encountered in my life.

They inspired me to want to be heard. I started at a poetry cafe in NC called the Blue Flame but only went on stage once because of my nerves. It wasn’t until I moved to MS and started hitting the poetry events in Memphis, TN that I came into my power and love for performing. I hit the scene hard and started making myself known pretty fast. I am also the founder/CEO of Women United We Stand and Young Cooks 4 A Day which is a program for children ages 5-16 from all backgrounds to come together, fellowship, and learn simple cooking recipes appropriate for their age group that they can prepare at home.

Before covid, my program was in partnership with the Two Rivers School District to help underserved children in the community. The program not only taught children how to cook, but it also taught them how to communicate and use teamwork to get things done. To pass the workshop they must complete giving back to the community at one of the 2 homeless shelters by helping us pass out food to them. It was a great feeling to see children who may not have much be able to still give back to people that may be in similar situations as them and remain humble.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road for me. I always joke about the dark cloud that follows me every time I get a chance to breathe because it feels like things keep happening to or around me. At the peak of my performance career, my oldest brother called me early one morning and told me he had just found out he had stage 4 cancer and was given up to 2 years to live. I instantly went into sister mode and tried to be there for him as much as possible and make the most out of our time and then not even a full 6 months later, I got a call that he was in the hospital. I had just left him a week prior, so I had to turn around and go back.

I had already lost my job because I didn’t have any more leave time from going back and forth visiting him and sitting with him at his chemo appts and doctor visits. I was broken but determined to keep being by his side so I turned to Facebook for help getting back to NC for him because unemployment wasn’t nearly enough especially when you have bills and children. I sat and watched him go from talking/moving around to being nonverbal and no longer able to move. For those 11 days, I watched the man I looked up to as my hero and the strongest man I know break down mentally and physically and there was nothing I could do to help.

He had never seen me perform my poetry before, so I performed 2 of my most popular pieces in his hospital room, sitting next to him holding his hand. He passed on June 05, 2018, and that’s the last time I would perform any poetry. I shut down for like 6 months behind that. The grief consumed me because that was my twin and my best friend. We were just alike and loved each other so much. Just when I thought I was ready to perform again after a 3 year hiatus, I would suffer yet another devastating blow. I had created shows and more productions but by the time I was ready to start casting and rehearsing…I lost my middle son JaWaune to a car accident. He was only 17 years old.

The report only stated it was an accident but no determination of why or how it happened, so I never received closure only that he didn’t suffer because it happened instantaneously. That happened on April 15, 2021, while I was out of the state for my birthday. I spoke with him that night while he was on his way home from grocery shopping but he never made it home. I thought he was possibly with his girlfriend, but I later got the call that same night that he was involved in a head-on collision 20 minutes after we got off the phone with each other. As you can imagine, I went into another deep depression of grief and anxiety that turned me away from doing poetry.

He and his brothers were my motivators, and nothing felt right after that. I struggled to find my place back into the poetry world because everything had changed and there were a lot of new faces, and it seemed like things were happening that I wasn’t aware of or a part of and that has been the most difficult to navigate but I never let any of it stop me from doing what I love. I just adjust.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Well, this is a loaded question lol. In the creative world, I am what is known as a performance poet, playwright, writer, host, director, producer, and creator. I’m sure I may be leaving out some things but hey my mind is bad. I specialize in creating mini plays coined “playetry’s”. They are loosely told stories with hidden messages that range from mental health situations to relationships to whatever my mind thinks of next. My brand is called Epifany’s Emagination because well everything I create is from my thoughts.

Even my clothing line derives from my poems or things I think of off the top. I am most proud of my 3 creations that have produced sold-out shows from Memphis to Nashville. They are “Black Chic Monologue, MENace II Society; both of these were based on stereotypes placed upon black men and women and each artist gives their portrayal of the roles given in spoken word and theatrical format to appeal to the audience. The third production called “Tales from the Otha Side-the Playetry” was one that I had to pat myself on the back for because it showcased my ability to bring a mini play to life with hidden jewels given by the men. The audiences in both cities gave outstanding reviews as it was one I was most nervous about.

I am most known for performing erotic and mental health pieces. What sets me apart from others is that I create shows that are not your typical open mic shows but an actual event giving artists a different way to express themselves and plays that are not your typical Christian-based plays but thought-provoking poetic stories that we face in our everyday lives that people can relate to without judgment. I like to think I’ve created my lane with my Playetry’s and in fact, have had others try to recreate what I do. I like to keep things new, exciting, and entertaining.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’m an Aries so I’m big on risk-taking. I like to push things to the limit or see how far I can go in any setting. In my poetry sets sometimes I take risks by having people come on stage with me and interact with me in some of my erotic pieces. Male or female I like to give a show and entertain.

When I’m performing, I am like Beyonce and tap into my alter ego Epifany. She is the risk taker and carefree spirit that will unapologetically capture any room. If anyone has ever been to any of my shows, then they will tell you that I will get a reaction no matter what piece I perform. I feel no risk, no reward. To reach further heights or levels in your life you have to be willing to bet on yourself and take huge risks. I started out creating shows and hiding behind others because I didn’t believe in myself or my ability to produce a great show alone.

When I created TFTOS-the Playetry, I took a risk and stepped out on my own and it ended up being one of the best shows put on in 2019 and was compared to Hamilton in the sense that it was top-tier. The fact that someone told me this made my day, and nobody can take that away from me. So, when it comes to taking risks, I will keep pushing myself until I get to where I want to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.epifanysemagination.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/epifany19?igshid=NGExMml2YTkyZg==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpifanyPoetry
• Youtube: Epifany’s Emagination

Image Credits
Frank Chin and MovieGo