As I conclude my Black History Month celebration here, I am happy to feature motivational speaker, poet and former WGN-TV Minority Business Report host, Sporty King. I hope you'll make him feel welcome with your comments and questions.
Enjoy!
Hi, Sporty
CAN YOU TELL PEN & PROSPER READERS A LITTLE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND HOW YOU BEGAN WRITING?
I am a native of Harlem, NY now living in Charlotte, NC… moving here after 23 years in Chicago, IL. Before that I spent 4 years in Riverdale, Md after being transferred through my job at The Wall Street Journal. It was a promotion into Advertising Sales after starting my career as a Messenger in the New York office in 1975. I would retire from The Journal in 1993 as a Regional Classified Advertising Manager. In 1994 I began my Entrepreneurial journey using my poetry to uplift people’s spirits… a path inspired through my spiritual enlightenment following the path God laid out for me.
I am now an Inspirational Speaker who helps people become better listeners and master their stress, which results in improved communication skills and better relationships with the people they communicate with.
My poetry has evolved more into positive words, affirmations and acronyms than actual poems. In fact, while living in Chicago, I was on WGN’s ‘Minority Business Report,’ delivering the inspirational message on a weekly basis from 1999-2001.
I began writing revolutionary poetry at the age of 14, inspired by The Last Poets’ “When The Revolution Comes” album (1970); combined with home sickness. I had won an ABC (A Better Chance) Scholarship and attended a Private High School in Massachusetts. During our 3 week orientation I was introduced to the album and we listened to it everyday during that summer.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIALTY AREA?
In terms of the writing, NO… because my gift is the ability to write “in the moment” and spirit of the group. I believe all “writers” have that gift of opening up to incorporate the scenery and senses of the environment. If there is a pattern in your writing I believe it is by choice… then refined.
WHAT IS YOUR MISSION OR PURPOSE AS A WRITER? OR IS IT SITUATIONAL?
It’s actually situational and purposeful. One of the services I offer is called ‘Share the Conference.’ What I do is listen to the speeches and main topics discussed throughout the day and create an inspirational poetic wrap up that incorporates the synchronicity in the messages. I also do this serving as Emcee, a role I call “Master of Listening.”
WHAT ONE TIP CAN YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS SEEKING TO BUILD A PLATFORM AND INCREASE THEIR ODDS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS INDUSTRY ?
Because you are creative, learn to control your vocabulary rather than allowing your vocabulary to control you. Every word must have multiple meanings. When someone else says they have “Writer’s Block,” ask them to write about who’s standing on the north, south, east and west corners of the Block they grew up on...
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR LITERARY INFLUENCES OR ROLE MODELS?
Gil Scott Heron and The Last Poets, as mentioned. However, I have always had a wide range of love and appreciation for the poetry I began studying in high school: Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” still connects to my belief in living a life of no regret, and making positive choices based on the information we have at hand. When we get more information we make different choices (not necessarily better).
I’ve been inspired by and blessed to have met Gwendolyn Brooks and Sonia Sanchez. Brooks’ personalized autograph calling me an “Old Friend” smiles from my wall. We had met twice, years apart, and she remembered me from the first. I was a DJ in my late teens/early twenties, so enjoyed the rappers like Kurtis Blow and Sugar Hill Gang. I love Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mastery of words.
Learn more at SPORTYKING.COM
Nice to meet you, Sporty! Appreciate you sharing some of your journey with us, as well as the inspiration within. Love the advice about controlling our vocabulary. I need to ponder and put that into practice. Thank you for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteJen, thanks once again for hosting and sharing such great guests with us. :)
It's my pleasure, Karen. We greatly appreciate your appreciation. :-)
DeleteWhat a fascinating person Sporty King is. I particularly like how he demonstrates, "Every word must have multiple meanings."
ReplyDeleteI like the way he thinks. Thank you for this profile, Jen.
Lin,
ReplyDeleteThat he is. And perhaps equally as "inspiring" is his Mac and Cheese! He used to participate in the "Real Men Cook" annual event in my neck of the woods.
I never could duplicate his recipe. LOL
Thanks for stopping by and hanging out. Hope all is well in your corner of the world. :-)
Posted about you on my blog https://lindaoconnell.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteOh my! Over to check it out now.
DeleteJust read it. How cool! Thanks for the mention, Lin.
ReplyDeleteTHIS JUST IN FROM SPORTY KING: "Crossing my fingers here Karen... wrote a long response yesterday that somehow got lost in cyberspace... no way I can remember all I said. But I'll try. (If you're reading this, apparently the tech monster got confused with Leap Day) :-) I do know I thank and appreciate you for your comments. Remember that we live in a fast world and won't always be able to grab control of that vocabulary. When we can't, it's just as important to forgive ourselves... knowing that simply trying and, as you stated, pondering is a victory. The conscious effort to have the last word on that 'last' word puts us in charge. Make creative sense? :-) Glad to walk the two-way street of encouragement with you. Thank you for yours. ~ Sporty
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply, Sporty! Yes, it makes total sense, and I appreciate your thoughts about it. Thanks again for the encouragement and inspiration. Wishing you much success!
DeleteOOps, forgot to put the end quotation mark after yours-- and can't insert now...
ReplyDeleteSorry, folks.
Sporty is one of my favorite people and it was great seeing him here. I never knew why he called himself "The Master of Listening", now I know. It was great learning more about my talented and creative buddy. #SportyRocks
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for adding to the mix, Marcie!
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