i am from a punch & a kiss

Marlanda Dekine is Sapient Soul, an award-winning poet and social transformation worker, currently residing in South Carolina. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Furman University and her Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. Marlanda has served as a therapist, consultant, group facilitator, and forensic evaluator for individuals, children, and families across South Carolina. Marlanda owns and operates a transformative art label, {unnamed}, releasing art that moves. In May 2017, her book of poems, "i am from a punch & a kiss", was released into the world by {unnamed}. Her poetry can also be found in Flycatcher Journal, Wake Magazine, Spark & Echo, Minerva Rising's "Sparrow Trill", and The New Social Worker. Her poem "Shine" was nominated for the Pushcart Prize by Flycatcher Journal. In 2012, she released her second album, SOULidifying Borrowed Concepts. The Founder of Furman University's Poetry Club, Poetic Noise, she is also the Co-Founder of Spoken Word Spartanburg, the Slam Madness poetry tournament, and Spartanburg's first adult poetry slam team: Old Soul. Marlanda has a strong history of supporting the arts, artists, and providing diverse platforms for artistic expression. Currently, Marlanda is the Founder and Executive Director of Speaking Down Barriers, a nonprofit that transforms our life together across human difference using transformative dialogue and spoken word. She also serves on the board of the Hub City Writers Project.