The 2022 Spoken Word To GoGo Championship would not be possible without the generosity, talent, and experience of our illustrious panel of judges and host.
Learn more about this eclectic group of GoGo gurus below.

TODD B.

Todd B. has spent most of his 25-year radio career at WPGC, most recently hosting “Reminisce Radio,” Sundays, 7-9pm. He earlier helmed the relationship-focused nighttime talk show “Love, Talk & Slow Jams,” romance-themed music show “The Coolout,” and “The Break Down,” a morning drive talk segment covering politics and entertainment.

charity blackwell

Charity Blackwell is a spoken word artist, poet, emcee, motivational speaker, activist, and the D.O.P.E (Director of Poetry Events) at Busboys and Poets She hails from South Carolina and now calls Washington, DC home. As a queer woman of color and daughter of a former NAACP president, Charity has always used her talents to uplift the LGBTQ and African American communities, as well as advocating for social justice, youth development, domestic violence awareness, and women’s rights. She’s performed on stages and media outlets near and far, including Lincoln Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Hirshhorn Museum, BBC News, Major League Soccer Network, The NBA Washington Wizards, TedxTysons, and more. Charity is a graduate of Trinity University in Washington, DC, where she earned a bachelor's and master's in communications

Dwayne Lawson-Brown

Dwayne Lawson-Brown (@CrochetKingpin) is a DC native poet, activist, breakdancer, and CEO of Crochet Kingpin LLC. With hosting credits on Spit Dat DC, Floetic Fridays, Flashband DC, Busboys and Poets 450K and featured readings at every Busboys and Poets location, SAGAfest Iceland 2015, Spirits and Lyrics NYC and Manassas, Woolly Mammoth Theater, and the C2EA “We Can End AIDS” march -- Dwayne has proven there's a lot to be said. Dwayne's work to increase HIV awareness through spoken-word garnered recognition from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, BBCAmerica, the Discovery Channel, and The Washington Post. Recently, Dwayne was named "DMV Male Poet of The Year at the 2021 DMV Renaissance Awards. Ultimately, his goal is to invite the audience to feel. When not documenting life through poetic meter, Dwayne can be found on the metro making scarves and hats or singing karaoke.

KOKAYi

A Grammy-nominated artist, producer, author, and creative consultant, KOKAYI is immersed in the ethos of hip-hop culture even as he colors outside the lines of tradition. Based in Washington, DC, the preeminent improvisational vocalist is a freelance music emissary with the U.S. State Department, recipient of the 2021 Nicholson Residency, 2018 Halcyon Artist Fellowship, and Sister Cities Grants.

His forthcoming book "You Are Ketchup: and other fly music tales" (Globe Pequot) releases in Winter 2022. He continues to grace stages globally, stating that his "work is an amalgamation of his life experiences as filtered through, D.C., Go-go and the music begat from the African diaspora."

RONALD “MOE” MOTEN

The co-founder of Don't Mute DC, a movement sparked by D.C.'s uproar against culture erasure by gentrifiers in D.C.'s Historic Shaw community. He and co-founder Natalie Hopkinson created a petition that collected over 80,000 signatures and became the organic spark that united the District of Columbia. It gave the natives and lovers of D.C.'s rich culture a much-needed victory when many had given up and stopped fighting. Currently, Ron and his partners at Check It Enterprises are in the process of opening the Go-Go Museum in Washington, DC, in Anacostia.

His latest endeavor includes launching the "Social Media Caucus" to address social media's adverse side effects on youth and adults. He believes it can be a more positive tool to teach and preach many of the social ills and destructive behaviors being magnified even more during the new COVID world we live in.

Moten has received countless honors for his work, including the McDonalds Community Leader Award, 2020 Mayors Arts Award For Community Advocacy, Seach For Common Ground Award, Delta Sigma Theta Florence Letcher Toms Award for Outstanding Community Service, NAACP Outstanding Leadership Award in Juvenile Justice, and The National Trial Lawyers Association.

POET TAYLOR

Poet Taylor is a lover of God, Bacon, Conversation and the “Village” (for which she’s coined as her signature name for her Listeners and the Community-at-Large), that strongly believes that no matter the obstacle, there’s always a solution.

Poet (former co-Host of the “Joe Clair Morning Show”) can now be heard daily on the radio from 10AM- 2PM on her own show “Midday Shenanigans,” in what she calls her dream position on WPGC - 95.5 FM in the Nation’s Capital (Washington, DC).

In addition, Poet lends her talents and voice to TV daily, as the featured Washington, DC Correspondent for “Dish Nation” on WTTG-Fox5 and Fox 5 Plus for the Syndicated Entertainment News Program, Monday through Friday.

When she’s not on television, radio or IG Live vibing with the “Village,” Poet spends her time dedicated to the community as a Philanthropist, Community Liaison, Host, Creative Influencer and Motivational Speaker, advocating for the causes that are closest to her heart.

Bringing awareness to teens and young adults in the Foster Care System that are seeking a loving home and forever family sits at the forefront of her outreach efforts. With a compelling story, Poet grew up bouncing between the DC and Maryland State Foster Care Systems, learning early on that it takes hard work, dedication and blind faith to not only accomplish your dreams but to truly live them. Lending her voice to end inner-city violence, police brutality, body image shaming and self-hate, Poet also proudly serves on the Board of Directors of Safe Shores DC, as a Recruitment Liaison for CFSA DC and serves as an Ambassador for the Dept. of Health's "Sex Is..." Campaign aimed at creating safe spaces for youth to discuss and learn about sexual health with self-appointed trusted adults.