Press Kit

Blaine "Scooter" Young II is a poet originating out of Columbia, South Carolina and now based in Chicago, IL. He started writing in 2008 while living and teaching in Virginia and began performing at open mics in South Carolina in December 2009, placing 4th in his first ever slam at the VerseWorks venue in Columbia. During his 6 wonderful months at VerseWorks, Blaine was asked to join the illustrious Unusual Suspects poetry team, of which he is a member for life. He has had the privilege of sharing the mic with the likes of Big Poppa E, Ratpack Slim, Lauren Zuniga, Amoja MoMan Sumler, and Georgia Me. He was an active member (when work allows such things) of the Tulsa poetry scene, and is responsible for the first major regional slam in Tulsa as the co-organizer of the 2012 Southwest Shootout in Tulsa, OK. He is new to Chicago, has been incredibly blessed by the scene so far, and can't wait to continue his journey with this welcoming city.

Since first tasting the mic, Blaine has jumped into his love of poetry feet first, eyes open and nose unplugged. Blaine has performed at open mics and competed in slams in 8 different states. He also has attempted to combine his love of teaching and his love of poetry to show youth and adults alike that poetry is more than the sonnets you had to learn in high school (though sonnets are just fine :). If interested in booking Blaine "Scooter" Young II for your venue, please contact him at beyoungii@gmail.com or on facebook at facebook.com/scooterpoet.

Community Work:

*Started an after-school poetry club at Heyward Gibbes Middle School in Columbia, SC - the club has been continued by other poets in the area

*Spoke to and performed for the after-school poetry club at Alcorn Middle School in Columbia, SC

*Aided the Phoenix Rising alternative program at Remington Elementary School in Tulsa, OK by showing poetry as a viable way to present the school's ROCKS slogan.
*Tulsa Community College's "Words for Change" - January 2012

*Co-Organized the 2012 Southwest Shootout team slam in Tulsa, OK
*Member of the Lethal Poetry collective in Chicago, IL

Features:
*In The Beginning There Was The Word - Columbia, SC - May 2010

*VerseWorks - Columbia, SC - November 2010

*Spirits and Lyrics - Manassas, VA - February 2011

*Fearless Flows - Tulsa, OK - May 2011
*Border Slam - Laredo, TX - May 2011
*POLTCLLY KRRCT Poetry Rally - Tulsa, OK - August 2011; October 2012
*Poetic Underground - Kansas City, MO - May 2013
*Mo Poetry Slam Springfield - Springfield, MO - May 2013
*Rocktown Slam - Little Rock, AR - June 2013

Competitions:
*VerseWorks Monthly Slams - Columbia, SC - December 2009 - May 2010

*2nd place - MoPoetry April Slam - Springfield, MO - April 2011

*Living Arts Annual Poetry Slam - Tulsa, OK - April 2011
*Space Slam -Ozark Poetry Slam - Fayetteville, AR - April 2011

* Cover Slam - Fearless Flows - Tulsa, OK - May 2011
*Austin Poetry Slam - Austin, TX - May 2011
*Gladiator Head-to-Head Competition - Dallas, TX - May 2011
*September Slam - Ozark Poetry Slam - Fayetteville, AR - September 2011
*Exphrastic Slam - Arkansas Art Center - Little Rock, AR - April 2012; April 2013; April 2014

Publications:

*Words on Words, Youth, and Life - self-published chapbook 2010

*Not All My Poems are Slam - self-published chapbook 2010

* poetsespresso - April/May 2010 issue - Stockton, CA

*Justamente (fair enough) - self-published chapbook 2012

Videos: