Chris Lilley, a New York native, is a poet, a writer, a singer and multi-instrumentalist. As a poet, he has performed in several famed spaces such as the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and the Bowery Poetry Club, as well as in venues across the country. He seeks to begin community dialogues on topics that have been labeled as taboo or shameful, with a focus on bringing mental health awareness to black, Christian, and otherwise marginalized communities. His writing most often reflects his love for God, his love for blackness, and his love for the hurting. He says that his writing seeks to encompass everything that he is. When he is not writing, he teaches music and voice lessons in inner city schools. Chris is also part of True Voices, a spoken word poetry collective originating in New York City, that now spans the Eastern Seaboard. He is a member of the New York Chapter. 'I am a Christian, a black man, a poet, an opera singer, a teacher, and a suicide survivor.' je suis noir [i am black] is his first poetry collection (released February 1, 2016). The Quiet Way is his second poetry collection (released October 22, 2016)