We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Derrick Engoy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Derrick below.

Alright, Derrick thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear how you think where to draw the line in terms of asking friends and family to support your business – what’s okay and what’s over the line?

Building community is a big part of how I’ve grown in the past few years. Whether it’s my church community or my creative arts community, I’ve been able to experience tremendous movement toward becoming a better writer and poet.

In the realm of poetry, community isn’t just a support system. It’s the very soil from which creativity flourishes. Friends, family, and folks I’ve exchanged life with have all helped to nourish my pursuit as a local writer, serving as both muse and audience. They provide the understanding, encouragement, and collaboration essential for my poetic journey. In unity, my words resonate more powerfully, my ideas expand, and my craft evolves.

The core of it all is mutual trust. Asking my community to support my journey, whether attending a poetry reading or purchasing my books isn’t as awkward as many may assume. As the old saying goes, “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.” I’ve found that support toward my work has been easy to come by, because I’ve always served the very community I lean on for support.

We pull each other up. We encourage one another. We’re for each other and it’s proven to be benefical for both.

Derrick, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a poet, writer, pastor, and coffee enthusiast who believes words are meant to bring truth and life to people, rather than being used to destroy one another.

I discovered a passion for creative writing in the late 80s as a young striving Hip-Hop artist; making beats and mixed tapes with an underground crew in the Los Angeles area. I was first introduced to Spoken Word in 1994. Heavily influenced by an amalgamation of Rakim, The Roots, Aceyalone, Rage Against the Machine, and Saul Williams, I went on to be one of the two frontmen of an 8-piece Long Beach Hip-Hop band called Elements of the Outer Realm. The band went on to perform for nearly a decade; headlining at venues such as The Roxy, The Conga Room, and Lollapalooza, as well as, making an appearance on the World Famous KROQ (106.7 FM) as Jed the Fish’s Catch of the Day.

Since leaving the band, my creative focus has solely been geared toward written poetry and Spoken Word.

I released my first book, “I’m Bored With Christianity,” in 2006, and my second book, “Verbal Paintings;” a collection of poems, was released in 2008. My third book, “66: The I AM in Me,” is a collection of sixty-six pieces that focuses on the profound power of Love and it was released in 2012. I released my fourth publication (Summer 2017) called “Breathe;” a chapbook of brand new poems and Spoken Word pieces.

My fifth book, “Letters,” is scheduled to be released October 2023!

I currently recite at local coffee shops and conferences; including schools, churches. I have excitedly shared the stage and mic with many of today’s top Spoken Word artists; including Ezekiel Azonwu, Prentice Powell, Chris Webb, Leah James, Beleaf, Danielle Bennett, Rudy Francisco, Aman Batra, and Yesika Salgado.

I received a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Creative Writing from Cal State Long Beach. I am also an ordained minister with the Foursquare Denomination and have a heart to teach people about Jesus, as well as, serve the larger community. I, incidentally, dedicated his life to following Jesus the same year I fell in love with Spoken Word. So it’s normal for me to use poetry to preach the Gospel when I recite at venues, as well as, infuse poetry in my sermons. I’m also the founder and co-host of the “Breathe: Faith and Creativity” Podcast.

Finally, I am happily married with three boys. My wife, Marissa, is also a creative who has a spectacular singing voice and an eye for living art. She is the owner of the Los Angeles based plant shop, Good Morning Cactus. Our boys love to keep us busy with basketball, learning how to cook, and getting sun burnt at the beach.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The phrase, “starving artist,” might be cliche, but it’s true.. My pursuit as a creative has had its ups and downs and the struggle truly has been real. I’ve experienced seasons of plenty and valleys of financial barrenness. As of late, I’ve had to slightly pivot and have landed an amazingly fulling career as a Technology Success Consultant that has, not only provided resources to support my family, but it has paved the way to fund my creative efforts.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I believe that words are meant to bring truth and life to people, rather than being used to destroy one another. As a writer and poet, it has been my mission to spread this message to as many people as possible and spoken word has been a great vehicle to do so. Not only has the stage presented me with a platform to express the power of words, but facilitate creative writing workshops has also given me opportunities to directly influence others to breath life into others through the creative arts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://derrickengoy.us/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/derrickengoy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derrickengoypoetry
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickengoy
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/derrickengoy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/derrickengoy

Image Credits
Nathan Olpindo