| Mayda Del Valle Class of 2000 |
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Beginning with an independent study here at Williams on spoken word and performance, you have become a renowned figure in the wonderfully raucous world of slam poetry. Self-performance that drew on your experiences growing up on the South Side of Chicago resulted in a string of competition successes that led in 2001 to your becoming the youngest person and first Latina to win the National Slam Poetry title. You then starred in four seasons of the HBO series "Def Comedy Jam" and the Tony-winning production of "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway," including its national tour. You also helped turn up the volume on this new art form by traveling the country with the "Declare Yourself Spoken Word" tour. Meanwhile, your one-woman show at New York's Downtown Urban Theater Festival won an Audience Favorite Award. Trying to capture the incandescence of your performance, critics have claimed you have "the stage presence of a gargantua" and described you as both "mighty mouth" and "a powder keg of attitude and tenderness in a small package." Through it all, you give voice to the struggles, pain, and anger of society's often invisible members, while celebrating the ultimate triumph of spirit. In recognition of your distinguished achievement in spoken word performance, Williams College is proud to honor you with its Bicentennial Medal. |
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