Chinaka Hodge

Chinaka Hodge is a poet, educator, playwright, and screenwriter from Oakland. She received her BA from NYU’s Gallatin School, and studied Writing for Film and Television at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts MFA program. Chinaka has served as Educator, Program Director, and Associate Artistic Director at Youth Speaks/The Living Word Project. She is a Senior Fellow at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and serves on the Advisory Board at Marin Headlands Center for the Arts. Chinaka is one of the 2018 YBCA 100 honorees, a list of esteemed people and organizations using their platforms to create social change. 

In 2017 Chinaka was recognized with an Oakland Indie Award in the category of Oakland Soul. She was one of Diablo Magazine’s 40 under 40, and KQED’s Women to Watch. Her 2016 Ted Talk has been viewed over one million times, and her book of poems, Dated Emcees, won Northern California Independent Booksellers Association’s Book of the Year. Chinaka has published three books, and in addition to speaking and leading workshops, she is currently working as a television writer in Los Angeles.

Artist's Chosen Interview:

• 2016 Ted Talk 
• KQED Interview

Artist's Work:

• Russell Simon Presents Brave New Voices (2011, Ep. 1.7, Season Finale)
• Dated Emcees (2016)

Inspirational Resources/Recommendations:

• The Break Beat Poets: Poetry that inspires me, lots of stories within, plus tours and shows from some of the best young poets in the country.
• Pop Up Magazine: A Live Magazine that tours with great stories and an ever-changing lineup. National tours happen annually.
• I'm intrigued by The Kennedy Center's programming in Hip Hop Culture -- and I know they're making some of their engagements virtual/ non site specific, soon.
• YBCA Fellows: A fellowship I helped to start up in the SF area, that museums are beginning to duplicate, internationally.
• Headlands Center for the Arts Residency: Residencies are the best! This residency helped me to hone my writing in an outdoor space.