Simply Rob

In our society we are judged constantly for what we have, how fly our gear is, how good we look and for who or how we love. But I know that the only one that can judge me is the man above...so judge not lest you be judged. I am a positive dude so I give no power to those consumed by hate. I choose not to concentrate on the negativity that they regurgitate. Instead I navigate around that shyt and don't even bother to contemplate it because after all... misery does love company and I've had more than my fair share of it.My name is Roberto Esteban Vassilarakis a.k.a. Simply Rob I am a born and raised NY'er of El Salvadoran and Greek descent. Best known as a spoken word artist I am also an actor and a photographer. The last 15 years of my life have been dedicated to mentoring the "at risk" inner city youth in The Bronx and Manhattan with the likes of such agencies as Safe Horizons The Streetwork Progect, Hispanic AIDS Forum and Montefiore Medical Center's The Adolescent AIDS Program. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with many Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgendered adolescents as well as their straight counterparts and those who might be questioning or uncertain about their sexuality. I percieve the gay scene in NY to be so wrapped up in partying, having sex and using drugs and in MY OPINION more preoccupied with fukin our youth then nurturing them. I feel very strongly about the responsability of being an openly gay role model that the youth that I work with or know in my personal life can depend on for support without the fear of being sexualized or exploited.In 2003 my good friend Felix Rodriguez (Felix Rodriguez Films...check out my blog entry entitled "La Bruja A Wich From The Bronx) introduced me to Caridad de la Luz a.k.a. La Bruja she is the inspiration that led me on my spoken word poetry journey. She has been the light that illuminates the darkness in my life. Not only has she been a friend and mentor to me but we have also worked together to reach the youth and help them try and tap into their voices through poetry, but having said that, if any of y'all aint feeling my poetics, BLAME HER!! lol
I Scream- El Grito De PoetasAs a founding member of El Grito De Poetas being part of this group has given me new purpose and my life new meaning . To the members of the group: Advocate of Wordz, Chilo, Chance, Majestik, Royal-T and even the "Other Diva" True...although I have wanted to slap the shyt out of each and every one of you at one point or another yall are my people, my family, my team AHOOOOAH!!! My world is a much better place with you in it. Yall help me to be a better poet...a better person and I love you. Welcome Tito to our ignorant little dysfunctional family!El Grito de Poetas is a collective group of diverse Latino and Latina poets dedicated to the craft and performance of modern day poetry. With our Latin roots and culture entrenched deeply within urban NYC; we are firmly committed to spreading knowledge of our various cultures, heritage and traditions through neo-modern traditional style of spoken word. We stand today as Latin poets to re-new the faith of an oral tradition of yesterday.

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