Mary Bowman
If there was going to be a successor to Maya Angelou, many have said that it would most definitely be Mary Bowman. Performing for over 5 years, Mary has graced stages all over the East Coast, and in 2012 she had the honor of performing at International Conference on AIDS in Washington, DC. Becoming a Nationally known poet has not wavered Mary's ability to offer herself raw and unadulterated, as a young woman living with HIV. Mary is the author of “LOTUS” a collection of poetry that was awarded 2011 book of the year by the National Underground Spoken Word Poetry awards.
"Be The Change You Wish To See In The World" is manifested in Mary's everyday life as she plans to take her story across seas becoming an Internationally known poet & Advocate for HIV/AIDS. Mary is currently building her own organization, Purpose Over Entertainment (P.O.E.T.) P.O.E.T. is dedicated to reducing stigma and ignorance by using visual and performing arts to bring awareness and education to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Their purpose is to bring healing, hope, and inspiration to people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS all over the world.
Mary has been featured in several blogs and newspapers including Street Sense (DC), The NY Times, and TheBody.Com. Several local and internet radio stations including, WPFW's Inside Out with Sheila Alexander- Reid, PozIAm Radio with Robert Breining, and The Exchange with Aaron Myers on blog talk radio. Mary has facilitated support groups for youth living with HIV, and has participated in several panel discussions/ rap sessions with youth wanting to learn about HIV. Mary is a poet, advocate, author, singer, however at the end of the day Mary is just Mary; A 25 year old woman, born with HIV. She smiles, she cries, she laughs, and she frowns just like anyone else.