Genea Brice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr.
Genea Brice
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Vallejo Poet Laureate Genea Brice
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| Born | Oakland, California |
| Occupation | Poet laureate of Vallejo, California (2015-2017) |
| Alma mater | Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College |
| Genre | poetry |
Genea Sheles Brice is an American poet. She made history as the very first Poet Laureate of Vallejo, California. This means she was chosen to represent the city through poetry and promote reading and writing.
Contents
Biography
Born in Oakland, California, Genea Brice grew up in Vallejo. She graduated from Hogan Senior High School in Vallejo. She studied English Literature at Patten University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also got a teaching credential. Later, she continued her studies at Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College. There, she earned her Master of Arts and a doctorate in Theological Studies.
Besides being Vallejo's first Poet Laureate, she also served on the city's Commission on Culture and the Arts. In 2018, she moved to Dallas, Texas for a short time. She now lives in Vacaville, California and works as a teacher.
Poetry
Genea Brice loved poetry from a young age. She helped start the Poet Laureate program in Vallejo. She served as the Poet Laureate of Vallejo, California, from August 2015 to September 2017.
Performances and Teaching
During her time as Poet Laureate, she performed at many local events. These included Art Walk, Visions of the Wild, Women's History Month, Juneteenth, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. She also spoke at a vigil after the Charlottesville car attack.
She taught students about Martin Luther King Jr.. She gave presentations on famous poets like Maya Angelou and Sonia Sanchez. She also spoke about author Ernest J. Gaines at the Solano County Library.
Community Involvement
Brice led a monthly poetry group called Poetry in Notion. She also hosted yearly shows for National Poetry Month. She spoke at events for many different groups. These included Alpha Kappa Alpha, NAACP, Community Democratic Club, Delta Sigma Theta, The Links, Rotary Club, Harvest House, United States Forest Service, Soroptim International, and Vallejo Sister Cities. D.L. Lang became the next Poet Laureate after her in 2017.
Recent Poetry Events
In 2020, Brice performed at a rally in Vallejo. In 2021, she performed at an online event to help the Solano County Library Foundation. She also read at the Juneteenth flag raising in Vallejo and another Juneteenth event in Suisun City. She performed with other poets at Alibi Bookshop.
In 2022, she read at a Juneteenth event in Fairfield for the Solano County Library. In 2023, she helped high school students with a Black History Month poetry project. She also performed at the Cordelia Library for National Poetry Month and at Alibi Bookshop for the Vallejo Poetry Festival.
In 2024, she performed at a Black History Month event in Vallejo. She also spoke at an event promoting reading in Fairfield. She performed with other poets laureate at the Fairfield Library. In 2025, the poets laureate of Vallejo celebrated the 10th anniversary of the program. Brice performed at a Juneteenth flag raising ceremony at the Vallejo Museum in 2025.
Works
Genea Brice has written several books and contributed to many poetry collections.
Poetry collections
- A Way with Words: Poems, Prose, and other Masterpieces 2017. ISBN: 9781973926818
Anthologies
- The Colors of Life Watermark Press. 2003. ISBN: 9780795152399
- The Best Poems and Poets of 2005 The International Library of Poetry. 2005.
- A Word for All Seasons Benicia Literary Arts, 2014. ISBN: 9780970373717
- Poeming Pigeons: Poems about Birds The Poetry Box. 2015. ISBN: 9780986330421
- Verses, Voices, & Visions of Vallejo 2019. ISBN: 9781724462633
- Yearning to Breathe Free: A Community Journal of 2020 Benicia Literary Arts. 2022. ISBN: 9781735499925
- Peacocks & Poems 2024. ISBN: 9798329454628
- A Decade of Poetic Unity: Celebrating Vallejo's Poets Laureate 2025. ISBN: 9798328345736
Publications
- Brice, Genea, “A Tuesday Text,” Benicia Herald, October 7, 2020.
- Brice, Genea, “Galveston,” Benicia Herald, June 18, 2021.
- Brice, Genea, “Vacaville,” The Diablo Gazette, April 2022.
Memoir
- Weaned in the Desert: Souvenirs from Sacred Seasons with my Savior Xulon Press. 2010. ISBN: 9781615797271
Spoken word album
- A Way with Words: The Poet Speaks (2024)
See also
- D.L. Lang
- Jeremy Snyder
- List of municipal poets laureate in California
