Nicholas Steven George was born and raised in Newark, NJ, but has been a part of Lynchburg’s creative community for over a decade. Developing his creative and performance style of writing since his teenage years, Nick is continuously growing as a poet, author, public speaker and facilitator. With a strong background in performance poetry (also referred to as “spoken word poetry”), Nick pulls from his own life experiences and personal challenges as inspiration for his work. As an artist, Nick has taken his talents to multiple stages and platforms, including 2017 TedXCharlottesville, where he performed an original piece, “Revenge of the Snap“, as an homage to his grandmother, Mrs. Inez George. Nick was also recognized as a contributor to “Generation Y, Spirituality & Social Change“, regarding the new spaces being crafted with creativity, passion and healing. Locally, Nick has contributed to various campaigns and organizations around Lynchburg, including the Office of Economic Development, the Academy Center of the Arts, and the YWCA. He has also been recognized in 2017 as one of Lynchburg Living’s Millennials on the Move, as well as being one of the recipients of the Vice Mayor’s Award of Excellence in the same year. In 2020, Nicholas was one of the recipients of the YPCVA’S Level Up Award, which recognizes outstanding young professionals that are excelling professionally and making a difference in the Lynchburg region. Nicholas also received the 2021 Trailblazer Award from the Black Excellence Network of Lynchburg for his creative work in the community. Through advocating for mental health and recognizing the utility of the performing arts, Nicholas uses his voice and skills to ignite social impact, challenge stigmas, and develop deep community.