Shawn Whitsell is a father, activist, poet, teaching artist, and mentor with Southern Word for the past 12 years. He is also an actor, playwright, director, producer and founder of the Destiny Theatre Experience. His one-man show “23/1” was named “Best Blend of Theater and Activism” by the Nashville Scene, for its message about solitary confinement and mass incarceration. When he isn’t on stage, he visits schools and community spaces, teaching spoken word for Southern Word and drama for a number of arts institutions. He also serves as a volunteer teacher/facilitator for the School for Alternative Learning & Transformation (SALT) at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Shawn was a 2020 Nashville New Leaders Council fellow and is currently a member of the NLC board. He also serves on the boards of Street Theatre Company and Rooftop Nashville. He is a member of the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board, the Jail Data Special Committee and the Co-Chair of the Criminal Justice Task Force for Nashville Organized For Action and Hope (NOAH).

Session: Exploration of Writer Mentor Role in Classrooms