Planted underneath the golden sun in Tampa, Florida,

ToVonnia ''Blacqwildflowr'' Lewis, is an author, singer/song writer, host, curator, educator and spoken word artist. After auditioning at Howard W. Blake Performing Arts High School, she was accepted in both Acting and Creative Writing Programs.

Focusing more on developing her story through Creative Writing, she was introduced to Head 'Em Say Teen Arts Collective where she learned to take her poetry off the page and to the stage.

After graduating, she attended Clark Atlanta University as a Psychology student. Though thriving As an Arts for Life Scholar, she was devastated when she was forced to abruptly stop attending the university. However, she was blessed with an internship at Heard 'Em Say Teen Arts Collective where she volunteered as a Performance Coach. She assisted youth with building their confidence through performance poetry for four years. After this career-saving experience, she was offered a contracted position as a Teaching Artist with The Motivational Edge, where she was promoted within three months. She also received the Taking the Lead Award (2017), and Most Valuable Teaching Artist (2019) while serving as a Lead Performance Etiquette Instructor. Her greatest obstacle led to the publishing of two chapbooks, On Bruised Knees and Rooted (2019) discussing healing through self-love and forgiveness as a Black woman.

 

Continuing to focus on developing her poetic career, she built an artistry development collective, Planted with Purpose. PWP provides group solo Sown Sessions to adults and children, offering the opportunity to transform how their emerging artistry inspires the world.  During COVID-19, she curated online platforms, Thee Blacq Garden: an online poetry battle and Unwind in the Garden: An online writer's retreat centered around holistic healing, business and writing development to provide a space for poets to be embraced.

She is currently ranked 3rd at Stonewall International Poetry Slam, 7th ranked woman poet in the world and 3rd ranked regionally at Exit 36 Poetry Festival.

Blacqwildflowr is known as Thee Black Queen Evolving Freely, an affirmation goddess who inspires others to recognize the power of language and execution. Through her own adventure of self love, she is able to create conversations around society's expectations of traditional gender roles, power of the black voice, and the right for individuals to love without struggle. She currently lives in Houston, Texas redefining what Black Womanhood means to her.