Garland
Lee Thompson Jr is a Poet, Writer, Actor, Producer,
Director, and Playwright. In 1990 He started
attending the open mic poetry reading at Highland
Grounds Coffeehouse in Hollywood, CA, and soon
after that he began to be asked to feature at
various venues, and readings in Southern California.
With his friend, and fellow poet Mauro Monteiro,
he also began producing his own poetry readings
as well, including the popular series, MR. MOJO'S
NEIGHBORHOOD. Moving to Austin, TX in the early
'90's he continued to produce, and feature,
at poetry readings. It was here that he also
got involved with the Poetry Slam movement,
first by competing, then by creating his own
slam, "SHOOTOUT AT THE PLANET: GARLAND'S
POETRY SLAM AND RENT PARTY", voted Austin's
Most Friendly Poetry Slam in 1995. In 1998,
after moving to Monterey, CA a couple of years
earlier, he created the annual WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP
POETRY SLAM ( www.westcoastslam.com)
at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. It has
since become one of the largest annual events
of its kind on the west coast. January 2003
found him starting another event in Monterey
with Poet Kitty Pettrucelli, called THE RUBBER
CHICKEN POETRY SLAM & OPEN MIC , which runs
twice a month to this day. He recently featured
at the BEAT EVOLUTION poetry reading, as part
of the annual Howl! Festival in NYC, and is
currently working on his first manuscript for
publication.
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