NAN DIVA

Nancy Gilliam is an accomplished performing artist, author, and educator. The first national Miss Phi Beta Sigma is a graduate of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Highschool of Performing Arts and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees from C.W. Post Center of Long Island University and the University of Southern California respectively. Her biography appears in numerous publications including "Outstanding Young Women of America", "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges", and "Who's Who Among America's Teachers".
As a performer, she made her professional stage debut at the age of eleven in the Joseph Papp New York Shakespeare Festival Production of "The Wedding Band" with Ruby Dee and Robert Loggia. Her credits include the MGM motion picture "Fame" and the pilot episode of the ABC Television soap opera "Loving". She created the role of Tammi Terrell in the 1985 production, "An Evening with Marvin Gaye"in Los Angeles, CA. She was a background vocalist on the motion picture soundtrack of "The Wiz", in the ABC TV production of S. Torriano Berry's "The Light", and on the Calvin Carr CD "Finally". She is the former lead vocalist of the groups JEMSA and PERFECT TOUCH, and has worked with musicians Kevin Harrington, Paul Fraoley, Andre Lasalle, John Willis, Justice Butler and Ronald Small to name a few.
Her songwriting credits are extensive. During the '80's, she was one of the most sought after lyricists on the Queens music circuit. She wrote with and for Doug Harris, Julio Herrera, Michael Oakman, Bob Gass, and Ron Dean Miller, with whom she co-authored the Billboard top twenty hit song "Take A Chance" and "Stop Playing on Me", both recorded by Nuance featuring Vicki Love. The latter was used as the theme song for an episode of the 1980's remake of the NBC TV series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Her catalog of Praise & Worship music includes "Beauty of Holiness", "Perfect Praise" and "I'll Worship". She has been a member of ASCAP for over twenty years.
In the literary field, she has self-published two children's inspirational fiction books entitled "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You" and "I Can't Play Basketball, I'm Only Four Feet Tall". Her plays include "Reality Patrol", "Born for the Family", "The Seven Sins" and "Definitions", which she has just adapted to screen. She is a story contributor in the 2004 Black Book Award Winner for Non-Fiction "Chicken Soup for the African American Soul" and "Chicken Soup for the African American Woman's Soul" for which she also served as Special Projects Manager. She is a featured author in "The Hustler's Ten Commandments" by multi-media mogul HOTEP. She authored the companion study guide to B.J. Robinson's book "LeBron James: King of the Court", for which she also wrote the introduction. Her poetry appears in the anthology "Eternal Portraits". She was named a 2006 Poetry Ambassador by the International Society of Poets. She has also written for New York Arts Magazine.
Nancy is the co-founder of the African American Literary and Media Group which is dedicated to providing inspiration, education and tangible tools to help novices and professionals alike navigate their way through the challenging literary and media industries. She conducts and coordinates conferences, workshops and seminars across the country. Look for her in the upcoming Skinnymen Productions documentary PLEASURE & PAIN which also features Phylicia Rashaad, Deborah McDuffie (the first African American female music producer),MC Lyte, Denise Spiller, Lisa Nichols and Loretta Divine.