Artist Spotlight: Cocoa Keys

“Music is such a strong force of light and goodness. I want to share it with as many people as possible.”

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Cocoa Keys

Devon White and Olivia Carrington, also known as Cocoa Keys, met at San Francisco's The Battery, where they went from hostesses to the main event. They've been performing throughout the Bay Area ever since, and became teaching artists to spread their music even further. 

Both women grew up in environments abundant with music and musicians. Olivia's father religiously played bass and guitar while her mom sang in the church choir. Even her brother was busy producing beats, and her house was full of music and vibrancy. At seven years old, her parents signed her up for piano lessons as a stepping stone toward guitar, but she realized piano was the instrument she wanted to pursue. From there she worked gigs as a pianist, often in jazz and classical scenes, while also joining a band she still occasionally performs with today.

Olivia

Devon was similarly shaped by her dad, a songwriter, trumpet player, and guitarist. As an African American woman, she spoke about how deeply music ties into her culture, and how the people in her life recognized her talent early. She went on to study music and audio in college, sing classical music, and even audition for American Idol. 

Growing up in homes that encouraged and cultivated artistic talent, Devon and Olivia now keep that spirit in mind when they teach. Cocoa Keys have been teaching artists at Bay Area Creative since 2020, where they encourage students to write and perform. They build lesson plans that cover the more technical aspects of music alongside the freedom to write about whatever students want. They want every student to feel good putting words on the page, whether serious or silly. As Olivia puts it, "we also like to write silly songs that make us laugh, that are catchy, that are fun." Cocoa Keys believe that all art has value: even a simple, goofy song carries the joy of creating and sharing something. Their goal is to give students the musical tools, resources, and knowledge to know that if they want to pursue music, they can.

Devon

"It's always rewarding to share your art and share your talent with folks."

Teaching gave Cocoa Keys the chance to give back to their community and impact young people, and it also deepened their own understanding of music, making them better artists in the process. As a duo, their most memorable career milestone was their first wedding gig at Sea Ranch. What made it especially meaningful was that the couple getting married had worked alongside them at The Battery. Devon called it a "full-circle" moment, a realization of how her gift could bring people together and contribute to something larger than a performance. Being woven into someone else's love story made it an incredibly special experience for the duo.

Cocoa Keys continue to perform at weddings, social clubs, bars, and events throughout the Bay Area. They keep their work intentionally local, focused on the people around them who truly matter. As two women of color, they're especially committed to working within their communities to uplift other women of color in the music industry. Through Bay Area Creative, they help cultivate talent in students who may not have had the same artistic support growing up. In a culture that increasingly undervalues art, Cocoa Keys are a reminder of just how much music matters and how much it means to put it in the hands of kids who need it.

"The world, they don't always give artists our flowers, and we contribute so much to the beauty of society."

Artist Spotlight: Sixfootah the Poet

“You have to be willing to be outspoken because whatever you're talking about, you might be speaking life into someone else.” -Sixfootah the Poet

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Inspired by Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” in the fifth grade, Sixfootah the Poet writes poetry with the intent to inspire the children she teaches and the crowds she performs for. Her role as a Teaching Artist for Bay Area Creative gives her the opportunity to do so. 

Born and raised in Oakland, CA– Sixfootah began writing poetry in the fifth grade and never stopped. Originally, she began her career into the poetry sphere with the message of saying no to tobacco. Sixfootah had expressed “if I'm able to stop one person from smoking a cigarette then I did my job”. Whether it be in relation to tobacco or anything else, she stands strong in the belief that you should always share your writing because as long as it affected one person then it made a difference. This is one of the many things she teaches her students who have become a big part of her life, career, and poetry.  

“If you don't take care of you first nothing else works, nothing else works.”

As a teaching artist, Six regularly reflects on the gravity of her job and the important role she has in the lives of her students. Her motivation stems from a feeling of feeling lost, unheard, and unseen as a child which was what largely kept her writing throughout childhood into adulthood. Having experienced the ways in which poetry helped her, she wants children to be able to view poetry the same way. Poetry can be a form of healthy coping and expression that Six encourages her students to do. Beyond just writing poetry, she encourages students to perform their poems as well. In Six’s first open mic she admits she was incredibly nervous, especially considering it was on her mom being sick and hospitalized. After her performance, an audience member who went through a similar experience came up to her to thank her for sharing the poem. By sharing her art she let another person know that “someone else that is going through the exact same thing so that they are not alone in this world”. Six lets her students know she’s been through what they have and by sharing experiences, they can feel less alone by connecting with others.

Sixfootah’s accomplished career in poetry has led her to many different opportunities and experiences. She’s interviewed with Oprah, performed at Oakland Coliseum, and has had multiple appearances in the newspaper. Despite these beautiful moments, she felt proudest when her cousin and aunt called her after hearing her interview on the radio. Her transition into teaching poetry was naturally fueled by her desire to be the reliable, inspiring person she wished she had as a child. Six works with Bay Area Creative to help kids understand how poetry can be a healthy, creative tool for them to use all throughout life just as she has.

“believing yourself and loving yourself first because no one else is going to do it like you.”

Artist Spotlight: Jaz Sufi

“Poetry doesn’t have to be boring on the page. Poetry can be living and present on the stage.” -Jaz Sufi

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At seventeen years old, Jaz began her career in the poetry scene through discovering slam poetry for the first time at the Berkeley Poetry Slam. Much like others that attended public school, she originally viewed poetry as inaccessible and boring until she witnessed the power it could possess. What truly captivated her was the addressing of urgent and real-world issues that have plagued the world, along with the freedom to put yourself forward despite stance, race, gender, and view.

From making finals in the 2015 National Poetry Slam, to touring across the U.S., to participation in Bay Area Creative Battle of the Beaches, Jaz finds herself fully immersed in her craft and is thankful for every opportunity in which she can put herself out there through her art. 

Of all her accomplishments and experiences, her biggest inspiration in the classroom is her students. Jaz believes poetry is the ideal vehicle for people to express themselves, being as open and authentic as they can be. With her students, Jaz is incredibly encouraging with the desire to inspire them to write what they want to write. 

“What matters is just knowing that when I leave for the last time, at least a few kids are gonna be interested in poetry in a way that they weren’t before.”

Jaz strives to provide a secure and inviting environment for expressing thoughts and feelings on what matters most to them. She understands that everyone has an opinion, though often most will not share it because of the thought and belief that their opinion is not shared by others. She encourages them to put their imaginations to work and bring their thoughts to life. Poetry is not one note; it is multi-dimensional, but for that to happen, you must be willing to put yourself into your work and your work out there.

“Open yourself up and try writing one thing today.”

Jaz’s career has come full circle as the Berkeley Poetry Slam that first ignited her love of poetry is one of the Bay Area Creative programs she works with today. From a skeptic to San Ramon's Poet Laureate, Jaz believes poetry has something for everyone and that anyone can find their niche in the poetry world.