Tim'm T. West facts for kids
Timothy Terrell West (born July 6, 1972), known as Tim'm T. West, is an American educator, artist, author, and musician. He is also a poet, activist, and helps young people. Many people see him as a very talented person who has done well in many areas. He has been in documentaries about hip hop and has written several books. Tim'm T. West has also released nine hip hop albums, including some with the group Deep Dickollective. He has been interviewed by major news outlets and received awards for his work.
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Tim'm T. West's Early Life and School
Tim'm T. West was born on July 6, 1972. When he was young, he had a speech problem that made him stutter. His family started calling him "Tim'm," and that name stuck. He was the second of nine children in a musical family. His father, Charles Edward, was a minister. His mother, Irma Pearl Stinson, worked as an assistant and nurse. Tim'm says his mother taught him to be thankful and kind.
He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later in Little Rock, Arkansas and Taylor, Arkansas. His family faced poverty during his childhood. He attended Taylor High School, where he was captain of the basketball team. He also led his school's chapter of the Future Farmers of America.
Tim'm was part of the Upward Bound program at Southern Arkansas University. He did well in science competitions, representing his state twice. He even met then-Governor Bill Clinton. He traveled to West Point for a competition.
He was a Boy Scout and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) because they sponsored his troop. He started going to church events at age twelve. Later, he decided to go to college instead of a mission. He worked very hard in high school, which helped him get into many colleges.
He chose to attend Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. During his time there, he also studied at Howard University. This gave him a chance to experience a historical black college. He finished his studies at Duke in 1994. He earned a degree in philosophy, with a focus on women's studies.
After working at Duke for a few years, he moved to New York City. He studied at The New School for Social Research, earning a master's degree in 1998. While there, he became deeply involved in the spoken word and poetry scene. Later, he earned another master's degree from Stanford University.
Music and Hip Hop Journey
In 1999, Tim'm T. West moved to the West Coast to study at Stanford University. He took a break from school to focus on his health. During this time, he started helping young people. In 2000, he joined with Juba Kalamka and Phillip Atiba Goff. They formed a hip hop group called Deep Dickollective (DDC).
DDC was one of the first groups of its kind. They performed at the Black Dot Café in Oakland, California. Their first recording, "BourgieBohoPostPomoAfroHomo," surprised many. It talked about social issues from a new perspective. What started as a fun project became very popular.
Tim'm T. West has appeared in several hip hop documentaries. These include Pick Up the Mic (2005) and Beyond Beats and Rhymes. He also appeared in documentaries by Mario Van Peebles. The group DDC released their last album, On Some Other, in 2007. DDC was also featured in The Anthology of Rap book in 2010. Tim'm says DDC helped black artists get noticed in the media.
As a solo artist, Tim'm T. West released Songs from Red Dirt in 2004. This album went along with his first book, Red Dirt Revival: a poetic memoir in 6 Breaths (2003). He says the book and CD tell his story of finding self-love.
In 2005, he released a small book of poems called BARE: Notes From a Porchdweller. His second poetry book, Flirting, came out in 2007. That same year, he released his second solo album, Blakkboy Blue(s), which got good reviews. In 2008, he created a special book of poems called Love In Full Color. In 2009, he released his third solo rap album, In Security: The Golden Error.
His album Fly Brotha came out in 2011 and was also praised. His fifth solo album, Snapshots: The He-Art and Experience of Tim'm T. West, was released in 2013.
Tim'm T. West still hosts "Front Porch," a show featuring spoken word, hip hop, and soul. He performs and teaches across the country. In 2015, he released a poetry collection, "pre|dispositions: affirmations on loving." He also released a new music project called "ICONography."
Tim'm T. West as an Educator
Tim'm T. West has worked to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. He was recognized for his work with the National Association of People with AIDS. He also graduated as a fellow from the Black AIDS Institute.
From 2002 to 2004, he was the head of the English and Creative Writing Department at the Oakland School of the Arts. Then he moved to Washington, DC, where he taught English. Since 1995, he has also worked for College Summit. He helped high schools get more of their students into college.
He is known for his fun teaching style. He has taught writing classes at Eugene Lang College in New York City. He also taught at Stanford University. From 2008 to 2009, he was a visiting lecturer at Humboldt State University. More recently, he taught at Houston Community College. In 2011, he taught a social justice course for the Washington National Cathedral Scholars Program.
In 2011, Tim'm T. West moved to Chicago, Illinois. His daughter, Shannon Rose Matesky, who is a poet, lives there. He started MyWritingProfessor.com, where he helps students with their writing. He has always been a strong supporter of young people.
In 2012, he started working at the Center on Halsted. He quickly became the director of youth services there. In 2014, he joined Teach For America's LGBTQ Initiative. He felt this job connected his teaching with his work for young people. He moved to Atlanta, GA, and now works to create safer classrooms for students and teachers.
See also
- Assotto Saint
- Essex Hemphill
- Gil Scott Heron
- Langston Hughes
- Marlon Riggs
- Melvin Dixon
