Please Welcome RexFest Youth Performers!
RexFests‘ community partners; Lakeshore Arts, LOVE (Leave Out Violence, Ontario), the BAM! Youth Slam and The Uncharted Collective, have each nominated several poets that will perform at RexFest Festival.
Each youth performers are competiting head to head with the chance to win the first RexFest Champ title.
Scroll to the end of the post to learn who made the top 10 finalists!
Huda Nur
Huda Nur is a 17-year-old spoken word poet who loves to read fictional novels and binge watch Netflix shows. She is known for being extremely passionate and outspoken about social justice issues and is considered an old soul. She is a huge lover of anything art related and always has a drive to leave an impact on this world.
Grade 11 student at Martingrove Collegiate Institute
Instagram: @hudaxnur
Facebook: Huda Nur
Esmirandah Ampong
Esmirandah Ampong is 18 years old spoken word poet.
Esmirandah is in her final year of high school and she is ready to move on to the next stage of my life. Esmirandah sees herself helping people while continuing her passion of writing, acting and performing.
“I have been writing for about seven years, poetry for two. It is something I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.”
Esmirandah Ampong
Instagram: @ezmirandah
Mark Cueto
Mark Cueto is a 16-year-old spoken word poet that had been writing poetry for over two years. Mark has always loved to write stories and draw pictures more than anything while growing up.
“I wonder where poetry will take me in the future.”
Mark Cueto
Grade 10 student at Martingrove Collegiate Institute.
Instagram: @markycueto
Facebook: Marky Cueto
Brian Osei-Boateng
Brian Osei-Boateng is 18-year-old spoken word poet. from Father Henry Carr Secondary School
“Just trying to impact as many lives as I can, in my own unforgettable way, one day at a time…”
Brian Osei-Boateng
Twitter: @BrianBoateng_
Facebook Page: @BrianBoatengO
Instagram: @BrianBoateng_
Youtube: O Brian Says
SnapChat: @BrianBrempong
Zara Rahman
Zara Rahman is a 15-year-old spoken word poet that is passionate about writing short stories and poetry since she’d learn how to write. Zara officially writing and performing spoken word poetry when was fourteen years old. Her work expresses her truth and experiences at school, at home and what it’s like living in her community.
“My goal is for my words to heal people as they have healed me and to continue to inspire.”
Zara Rahman
Grade 10 Student from Northview Heights Secondary School
Instagram: @zara.rahman._
Chrishayna ” La’Shayè” Small
La’Shayè is an 17-year-old spoken word poet. This festival is something new for her. She is excited to make the crowd feel the expression of her words.
Instagram: @PRETTY_GIRL_MONEY6
SnapChat: @Lashaye73
Ilham Mohamud
Ilham Mohamud is a 18-year-old, aspiring revolutionary spoken word poet. In her free time, Ilham enjoys spending quality time with friends & family and adding daily to her arsenal of memes. By most, Ilham is known for being passionate about the things she loves and working towards contributing to the betterment of society.
Instagram: @train.of.distraction
Furqan Mohamed
Seventeen-year-old Furqan Mohamed is a student and writer. Published online and in print, she tackles big ideas for young people just like her with her work. She enjoys using poetry, spoken word and prose as mediums to express views on power and identity.
High school graduate heading to University of Toronto
social media: @heyfurqan on Instagram and Twitter
Nithushan Thangavel
“Being a first generation Canadian, I face a plethora of challenges everyday. I use writing to give society a perceptive on what it can be like living the life of a brown boy.”
Nithushan Thangavel
Nithushan Thangavel is a 17-year-old spoken word poet from Weston Collegiate Institute.
Ahmed Ibrahim
Keyshawn
Aaliyah Adena
Shahaddah Jack
Hanna
Nura Habib
Lin Lune
Parker
Ayub Mohamed
Carissa Thomas Christensen
Sacrificial Lamb
RexFest Finalist
Congratulation to the top ten finalist. This was a very close competitions. The Judges made sure to triple check their results because it was a matter of points that granted the youth performers to move on to day two of RexFest.
List of Top 10 Finalists: ( there is no order)
1. Ilham Mohamud
2. Lin Lune
3. Nithushan Thangavel
4. Carissa Thomas
5. Furqan Mohamed
6. Huda Nur
7. Shahaddah Jack
8. Nura Habib
9. Zara Rahman
10. Mark Cueto
RexFest is a Signature project of the Cultural Hotspot produced in partnership with the City of Toronto and sponsored by Tim Hortons!
