Cleo Wade American artist, poet, activist and writer Date of Birth: 13.09.1989 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Career
2. Poetry and Activism
3. Public Art Installations
4. Books and Legacy
5. Personal Life and Activism
6. Awards and Recognition

Early Life and Career

Cleo Wade, an American artist, poet, activist, and writer, was born into a diverse family in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Her mother, Laurie Roquette, was white, while her father, Bernardo Wade, was Black. Wade's passion for writing ignited at the tender age of six during a summer poetry class. She attended Dominican High School and later moved to New York City to pursue a career in fashion, interning at Missoni.

While in the city, Wade worked as a consultant for Alice + Olivia, modeled for Cartier and Armani, and held an office manager position at Halston. Reflecting on this period of her life, Wade remarked, "For the first time in my life, I was making money, but I realized I was unhappy. No one tells you what to do when your girlhood dreams collide with your womanhood dreams." Seeking fulfillment, she decided to travel the world and soon reconnected with her love for painting and poetry.

Poetry and Activism

Wade's poetry focuses on inspiration, affirmation, activism, and female empowerment. With over 2300 Instagram posts and 782,000 followers, her work has gained widespread recognition and acclaim. In January 2018, The New York Times published her poem titled "How Are You Doing This Year," urging Americans to engage in political activism. Teen Vogue also published her article, "If I Could Write a Million Love Poems (A Love Letter to Trans Kids)," in response to the Trump administration's actions.

Wade has made several contributions to W magazine, including "Who We Are Now," a poem honoring notable women she admires, "Open Letter to My Dearest America," a poem about the 2016 election, and the article "How I Woke Up to Politics," where she reflects on her evolving political views.

Public Art Installations

Wade has created numerous large-scale public art installations across North America, all with the central theme that "art should be for all the people and should serve all the people." These projects include works in New Orleans: "Respect," a 25-foot-long love poem stretching across the New Orleans French Quarter skyline; and "SHE," a permanent fixture painted on a 50-foot warehouse in the Bywater neighborhood, completed in collaboration with graffiti artist Brandan Odums.

In the summer of 2017, Wade created "ARE YOU OK" at the Hester Street Fair in New York City, which was a "public booth for free, peaceful, loving conversations." In Los Angeles, she created "Show Love Spread Love" on the facade of the Beverly Center, featuring mantras in 10-word increments displayed on 46-foot screens. Her artwork has also been featured in Times Square and Toronto.

Books and Legacy

In 2018, Wade published her debut book, "Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life." She followed it up with "Where to Begin: A Small Book About Your Power to Create Big Change in Our Crazy World" in 2019. "Heart Talk: The Journal, 52 Weeks of Self-Love, Self-Care, and Self-Discovery" was released in 2020, and "What the Road Said" came out in 2021.

Personal Life and Activism

Wade is engaged to Simon Kinberg. They welcomed their first daughter in 2020 and their second daughter in 2021. As of April 2018, she resided in Manhattan, where she served on the board of the Lower East Side Girls Club (LESGC), the Women's Prison Association, and the National Black Theatre in Harlem.

Wade serves on the creative council of EMILY's List, an organization that supports and advocates for pro-choice Democratic women running for office. She frequently uses her influential Instagram platform to advocate for various social movements, political issues, and activist campaigns. Wade is a supporter of Planned Parenthood and has shared photos of fundraising dinners or her work as a canvasser almost as often as her regular poetry posts. She also sits on the advisory board of Gucci's Chime for Change initiative.

Awards and Recognition

Wade was a finalist for the 10th Annual Shorty Awards in Literature. Fast Company named Wade to its list of Most Creative People in Business for 2017. New York Magazine dubbed her "The Millennial Oprah."