This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Lady Zen discusses and performs Lyric Fusion Poetry as she transcends traditional silos of song and poetry.

Lady Zen (Alzenira Santos Amaral de Quezada) is an internationally known lyric
poet who performs commissioned art as a director, performance poet, and
vocalist for numerous venues, colleges, and festivals across the US, Europe, Mexico and Brazil. As a teaching artist, she presents workshops for young writers through Poet Laureate Wesley McNair’s Imagination 101 initiative, and designs curriculums for Maine public high schools. Lady Zen earned a Fulbright scholarship in opera performance from the University of Arkansas and holds a
degree in music business management from The Evergreen State College. Last summer, she was honored with an MFA from the Stonecoast Creative Writing program at USM. For the past five years, Lady Zen has lived in Portland, Maine. Her work has been featured through the Maine Center for
Creativity, AWP, and the Institute for Civic Leadership.  Her ambition is to continue to write, perform, and teach lyric fusion poetics.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)