A former collegiate basketball team captain, ESL teacher and avid cultural explorer, Will Richey crosses cultures, creeds and races through his eclectic expression of Spoken Word.  A graduate in Education with a Spanish concentration from the University of Dallas, Will began voicing his original creations in the Spring of 2002 upon returning from the ‘Camino de Santiago de Compostela’ (a 500 mile walking pilgrimage across Northwestern Spain).  Since then, he has evolved into an award winning performance poet, event host and workshop facilitator having shared his work combating racism on the Jenny Jones Show, as a member of the 2002 Dallas Slam Poetry Team, for the Association of Persons Affected by Addiction (APAA), and on the same billing as luminaries Maya Angelou, Erykah Badu and former U.S. Poet Laureate – Robert Hass.   

As a creative arts educator, his work with the youth has been featured on “Good Morning Texas” and has been nominated for an Irving Celebration of Excellence (ICE) Award.  He is host and artistic liaison for the Dallas Theater Center’s “DaVerse Lounge” and has facilitated workshops for the Dallas Museum of Art’s annual “Arts & Letters Live” series; the 21st Century – “No Child Left Behind” program; the U.S. version of the international Nokia: Make a Connection through Art program; and for Creative Solutions (a summer theater arts program for at-risk teens).  He is often asked to share his experiences with other academic and art institutions, community organizations and conferences.           

Born and reared primarily in Louisiana, it has been through the discovery of his very own “raices escondidas” (the “hidden roots” and influence of his mother's Puerto Rican heritage) that Will has learned to cope with success and failure, joy and depression, while embracing Spoken Word as the link between his contagious charisma and endless search for peace and purpose. 

Focused on the enrichment of mind, body and soul, his inspired delivery is sure to offer insight into the powerful search for one’s voice … all the while encouraging young and old alike to talk to the page and write to be heard.