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PortfolioStephen2025-01-30T17:33:46-08:00
  • Poet

  • Actress

  • Poet

The Poet – Venus Jones 

Award Recognition:

  • Poet Laureate and BAJABA Griot Award, Jazz Line Institute, 2024
  • WildSound Film Festival, “Best Animation,” Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood, 2024
  • Poppy Jasper Intl. Film Festival, “Best Director”, Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood, 2024
  • Portugal Indie Film Festival, “Best Animation” Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood, 2024
  • Center for Cultural Innovation Grant for Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood, 2023
  • Harlem Book Fair Honor – “Keeper of the Gate,” 2023
  • Mosaic America Fellow and Grant Recipient for (R)evolutionary Healing 2019 to 2022
  • Pushcart Nominee for the poem “The Elements,” 2019 – 2020
  • Finalist for the Santa Clara Poet Laureate, 2019
  • Youth Speaker University Scholarship Recipient 2018
  • Multicultural Artist Leadership Institute, MALI 10 Fellow 2017-2018
  • APCA Showcase Artist- 2017
  • Black Pearl Award for Community Service, Tampa, FL 2015
  • Featured Playwright in Tampa Bay Theatre Festival, Tampa, FL 2015
  • Graduate Leader of the Year, Student Leadership and Mills of Color Awards 2014
  • Ardella Mills Prize for Creative Non-Fiction, Honorable Mention, Oakland, CA 2014
  • Langston Hughes Family Museum Book Endorsement for “Lyrics for Langston” 2012
  • Over $25,000 in Scholarships for Creative Writing Graduate Studies, Mills College 2012
  • Most Inspiring Solo Performance Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival 2012
  • Nomination: Onyx Award Performing Arts 2009
  • Nomination: Onyx Award Performing Arts 2006
  • Poetry Slam Finalist: Austin International Poetry Festival 2004
  • Third Place: The Artists Embassy International, San Francisco, CA 2002
  • First Place: 2nd Annual Bay Area Spoken Word Contest, Tampa, FL 2002
  • First Place: 1st Annual Bay Area Spoken Word Contest, Tampa, FL 2001
  • First Place: Poetry Slam Joffrey’s, St. Petersburg, FL 2001

A sample list of notable partnerships and performances:

  • Google
  • LinkedIn
  • Cisco
  • Facebook
  • Poetry Center San Jose
  • KKUP
  • Spoken Vizions Magazine
  • Ms. Magazine
  • Bus Boys and Poets
  • Nuyorican Poetry Café
  • Straz Center
  • The Palladium
  • Eckerd College
  • Mills College
  • De Anza College
  • Mission College
  • California State University
  • University Santa Cruz
  • San Francisco State University
  • City College of San Francisco
  • University of South Florida
  • Hillsborough Community College
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Tampa
  • Pasco Hernando Community College
  • Los Gatos High School
  • Chamberlain High School
  • Brandon High School
  • Independent Day School
  • Middleton High School
  • Harker Middle School
  • Benito Middle School
  • Howard W. Blake School of the Arts
  • Westchase Elementary
  • Tampa Bay Tech
  • Armwood High School
  • Unity Church of Gainesville
  • Booker High School
  • WSLR & WMNF
  • Aston Gardens
  • Tampa Improv
  • Ruth Eckerd Hall
  • Tedx Tampa Bay
  • St. Pete for Peace
  • The Bridge
  • Voices for Peace
  • World Beat Cultural Center San Diego
  • Bob Marley Festival
  • Zora Neale Hurston Festival

Dated Performances

  • Feature Poet, Juneteenth Celebration, Cisco- 2021
  • Feature Poet, “May the 4th be With You,” Google – 2021
  • Feature Poet, Tampa Bay TEDx – 2011 (https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/653)
  • Feature Poet, The new age of Caregiving Symposium, Ruth Eckerd Hall – 2011
  • Feature Poet, WMNF’s anniversary celebration, The Palladium – 2011
  • Feature Poet, Voices for Peace, Straz Center – 2011
  • Feature Poet, Nuyorican Poetry Cafe, New York – 2008
  • Feature Poet: Got Jokes Improv Comedy Troupe – 2008
  • Feature Poet, Hillsbourough Arts Council, Poetry Jam Facilitator –2006/07
  • Feature Poet, Zora Neale Hurston Festival – 2008
  • Feature Poet, Busboys and Poets, D.C. – 2007
  • Feature Poet, WMNF’s Holiday Bazaar 2006 and 2007
  • Feature Poet, Eckerd College Introduced Nikki Giovanni 2007
  • Feature Poet, Creative Clay presents Folk Fest 2007
  • Feature Poet, Artists and Writers presents Deep Carnivale – 2007
  • Feature Poet, Community Tampa Bay Volunteer Recognition –2007
  • Feature Poet, Youth Leadership Conference, University of Minnesota-Duluth –2007
  • Feature Poet, Pasco Hernando Community College – 2007
  • Feature Poet, Ms. Magazine third annual fundraising cruise –2007
  • Feature Poet, On this Earth Benefit Concert Series -2006
  • Feature Poet, Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists Griot Drum Awards—2005/06
  • Feature Poet, Hillsborough County Dept. of Children’s Services Heritage Program 2005
  • Feature Poet, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Symposium –2005
  • Feature Poet, Finalist at the Austin International Poetry Slam, 2004
  • Feature Poet, Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL, 2004
  • Feature Poet, Delta Sigma Theta’s Literary Luncheon, 2003
  • First Resident Poet, Sunday Forum, WMNF, 2003

Publications:

  • “Falcon”, Red Wheelbarrow, 2024.
  • “Eye Make Up”, Caesura, 2023.
  • “Plight” Black Fire This Time, anthology (Willow Books),2022.
  • “Building Beyond the Burning”, Release Me, anthology (Greenwood Rising, LLC), 2021.
  • “Is there courage in the coach?”, Choice magazine, 2020.
  • “The Elements”, “For Earth and Heaven Sake,” “Silver Birches,” Sequoyah Cherokee River Journal, 2020.
  • “Fly”, Galley Way, 2020
  • “A Conversation with the Devil & Grim Reaper”, Semi-Finalist Engage Art, 2020.
  • “She Loved us Fiercely,” African Voices Magazine, 2020.
  • “In memory of the Miser,” Red Wheelbarrow, 2019.
  • “Dear Broken Black Girl” and “She Rose,” She Rises, Volume 3. 2019.
  • Kwanza: Living on Principle ebook, Venusian Publishing, 2018.
  • “Holy Rubbish” and “I’m Sorry for Saying I’m Sorry”, Red Wheelbarrow, 2018.
  • “Is Barack the Butler?”, Obama-Mentum: An Anthology of Transformational Poetry, 2016.
  • “Bumper to Bumper on the Bridge”, Tiny Moments, 2016.
  • “Life on Bailey St.” Lament for the Dead, 2015.
  • “In Remembrance”, Whirlwind Magazine, 2015.
  • “Blacker Than Thou”, “Kernel of Truth”, “Is Barack the Butler?” Reflections Magazine, 2015.
  • “Telling Time,” Aleola Journal of Poetry and Art, 2015.
  • “My Hang ups”, “Football and Feminism”, The Womanist, 2013.
  • “Suffering in Silence”, SF Peace and Hope, 2013.
  •  Lyrics for Langston, Venusian Publishing, 2012.
  • Eating like there’s no tomorrow,” Poet Lore, 2010.
  • Kwanzaa: 7 days, 7 principles album, Venusian Publishing, 2009.
  • “Chasing Freedom”, Liberated Muse Volume I: How I Freed My Soul anthology, Outskirts Press, 2009.
  • Polly Ticks album, Venusian Publishing, 2008.
  • “Little Girl in Me” introduction of Nikki Giovanni, Eckerd College printed program, 2007.
  • “Good Hair”, A Generation Defining Itself, anthology (M.W. Enterprises), 2007.
  • “Gender Rules” appeared in A Time to Rhyme, anthology, 2006.
  • “Amen” and “Poetic Soldier” appeared in Communication Line, 2006.
  • She Rose, Venusian Publishing, 2006.
  • Buffalo Soldiers ebook, Venusian Publishing, 2006.
  • “Heavy,” for Good Night Sleep (Community Action Stops Abuse) printed program, 2005.
  • “Adopted”, X Magazine, 2004.
  • “The Candle”, “Death of a Soldier Part II”, Map of Austin Poetry / (MAP)
  • Venus in Retrograde album, Venusian Publishing, 2004.
  • “I Need a Man”, Underground Poetz, collaborative album, 2003.
  • Venus to Earth album (A trip around the word), Venusian Publishing, 2003.
  • Actress

The Actress – Venus Jones 

* Principal
+ Featured

Film & Television

NameRoleProduction Company/Director
The Punisher (w/ Travolta)Attorney+Artisan Pictures & Marvel Studios/Johnathan Hensleigh
Out of Time (w/ Denzel)DriverMGM/Carl Franklin
The Root of All EvilKim*Acshun Productons
The ‘A’ ListAssassin*Tampa Digital Studios/Gene Howes
Out of HandMerchant+MFP Entertainment/Jefferson Kirk
Sheena (w/ Gena Lee Nolin)Hostage+Corsica Productions (UPN)/John Guillermin
The Jersey (w/ Eddie George)StudentRed Lizard Films (Disney Channel)/David Miller
(complete listing available upon request)

Theatre

Name of PlayRoleProduction Company/Director
For Colored Girls  Lady in GreenThe Studio at 620,
St. Petersburg, FL/Leonard Williams
Floridiots  Elvis, James Brown & MildredCoconuts Comedy Club,
St. Petersburg, FL/Mary Jane Heath
Places  Dancer & GrandmaTampa Bay Performing Arts Center,
Tampa, FL/Fred Johnson
Vagina Monologues  Six-year-old & SouthernStageWorks,
Tampa, FL/Anna Brennan
Colored Museum  Normal JeanWeathervane Playhouse,
Akron, OH/Fran Dorsey
Fires in the Mirror  Al Sharpton, Mo, RabbiUniversity Theatre,
Akron, OH/William Lewis III
A Raisin in the Sun  BeneathaWeathervane Playhouse,
Akron, OH/William Lewis III
(complete listing available upon request)

Commercials

Featured in over 100 local, regional, and national commercials through the following production companies/directors:

Tony Kaye Productions/Tony KayeRed Lizard Films/Rob Allen
Costa Creative Group/Joe CostaCharley Bregg/Lord & Lasker
Tampa Digital Studios/Jeff McKownVideo Proof/Brett Scott
100 Street Films/Scott DurbanGrey House Films/Curtis Graham
Devine Comm./Glenn ArscottNFL Films/Tripp Dixson
3BG/John SwoosherHot Spots/Henry Less
Birthmark Entertainment/John MinorStoryville Pictures Inc./Dirk Aspen
Visitors Bureau/Curtis GrahamUSA Broadcasting/Rex Hall
Foote Cone & Belding/Francois GirardSteffnyWallace/Erika Zain McKay
Momentum/Larry IsraelCohen & Co./Charlie Cole
Alleywood/Jeff JonesSendtec/Harry Greene
Epoch Films/Enda McCallionCauputo Creative/Louis Caputo
(complete listing available upon request)

Radio & Industrials

ProductRoleProduction Company/Director
PublixNarrator* (Voice)Publix /Gene Howes
ShapesSpokesperson* (Voice)Devine Communications/Glenn Arscott
Buddy’sCustomer (Voice)Devine Communications/David Allen
WEDUGrandma (Voice)Public Broadcasiting Station (PBS)
EckerdEmployeeJay Gross Studios/Christian Moriarty
BadcockCustomerN Focus/Joe O’Brien
Winn DixieEmployeeWinn Dixie/Al Doane
WZIP-FMOn-air PersonalityWZIP-FM
(complete listing available upon request)

Education

MFA  Poetry/ Mills College
BA  Communications / The University of Akron
Acting Coaches:
Jean Blair, Bob Collier, Ellen Jacoby, Ginny Kopf, Tom Logan,
Dick Schaal, Jim Sloviak, Susan Speers & Linda Zerne

Special Skills

  • Vocalist
  • Percussion
  • Swimming
  • Kung Fu
  • Rock Climbing
  • Modern Dance
  • Biking
  • Yoga
  • Poetry
  • Improv Comedy
  • Kayaking
  • Emcee

Honors

  • The American College Theatre Festival: Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominee
  • Oustanding Radio Personality: WZIP FM
  • Local Stringer: MTV Online

My favorite commercial shoot of all time (when you’re a big Black Cat and down for the chase)

https://youtu.be/S9q4Hl7nQrI –  Poetic Performance Reel (when you’re a model poet)

https://youtu.be/qisxidWnB1E  – The A-List (when you used to be on it but still had no lines)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUZerloI_sI&index=20&list=PL387B309E2B58D673 – Appointment (when you probe )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2odHnSJdz2Q&index=35&list=PLC60B9ED727EF250F – Red Wine (when you age well)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0NT_wtUkwQ&index=31&list=PLC60B9ED727EF250F – Assistance (when you write your own monologues based on true stories)

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