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'{{COI|date=April 2022}} {{orphan|date=December 2018}} '''Malcolm London''' is called the Gil Scott-Heron of this generation by Cornel West, is an internationally recognized Chicago poet, activist, and educator. <ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-poet-activist-malcolm-london-kogan-sidewalks-ent-0418-20170417-column.html|title=Malcolm London is a Chicago poet with places to go and a person to be|last=Kogan|first=Rick|website=chicagotribune.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-12}}</ref> He is one of three artists on the [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] documentary piece, “Saving Chicago: Inside Hip-Hop's Movement to Make Chicago a Better Place”.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://malcolmlondon.com/about/|title=About|website=Malcolm London|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-12}}</ref> London brings vim and vigor to his energetic performances tackling tough contemporary issues head on. == Biography == London, who is [[African-American]], was born in 1993 and grew up in the west side of Chicago in a neighborhood called [[Austin, Chicago|Austin]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wnur.org/interview/interview-with-malcolm-london/|title=Interview with Malcolm London|date=2017-06-29|website=WNUR|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-xpm-2012-10-12-ct-ae-1014-kogan-sidewalks-20121012-story.html|title=Teen poet thirsts for knowledge|last=Sidewalks|first=Rick Kogan's|website=chicagotribune.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref> He first started writing poems when he was 12 and poetry quickly became an important part of London's life.<ref name=":1" /> He attended [[Lincoln Park High School (Chicago)|Lincoln Park High School]] and in his sophomore year he won individual honors at the Louder Than A Bomb youth poetry competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/malcolm-london/|title=Malcolm London on Activism and Using Art to Create Change • EBONY|date=2016-11-04|website=EBONY|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-12}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> When he was 20, he participated in a TED talk where he read a portion of his poem, "High School Training Grounds".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2"/> After graduating from high school in 2011, London began working for Kevin Coval, a fellow poet and educator who helped create the Louder Than A Bomb poetry festival. London was paid to help with the organization Young Chicago Authors, talking at local schools and running poetry workshops with students in the area.<ref name=":1" /> In January 2012, London worked with actor [[Matt Damon]] as part of an event called "The People Speak Live!". The event was a portion of a large project based on Howard Zinn's [[Voices of a People's History of the United States]].<ref name=":1" /> Over the summer, London participated in a similar event in Pittsburgh where he again worked with [[Matt Damon]] and also [[John Krasinski]], [[Emily Blunt]], and [[Frances McDormand|Francis McDormand]]. In September 2012, Malcolm London appeared on a television series called "Verses & Flow" which features performances of music and poetry. He read a poem entitled, "The First Time in a While" which was based on a peer of London's who had been killed in a fight. In reading his poem, London became he youngest poet to appear in the first three seasons of the show.<ref name=":1" /> In time, London would go on to appear on several [[TED Talks]] with [[John Legend]] and [[Bill Gates]], and host events and performances with friend and fellow [[Young Concert Artists|YCA]] alum [[Chance the Rapper]]<ref name="auto" /> and rapper [[Lupe Fiasco]].<ref name="auto2" /> His performances of poetry have taken place all across Chicago including at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Du Sable Museum, the Vic Theater, The Metro, The Chicago Theater, Victory Gardens Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theater, where was a member of the Young Adult Council.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/ted-talks-education/speaker/malcolm-london/|title=Poet Malcolm London Performs on TED Talks Education {{!}} PBS|website=TED Talks Education|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref> London has also been the co-chair of the Chicago chapter of the Black Youth Project<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/ted-talks-education/speaker/malcolm-london/|title=Poet Malcolm London Performs on TED Talks Education {{!}} PBS|website=TED Talks Education|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-12}}</ref> and has done a lot of service for [[Chicago Public Schools|Chicago Public schools]] and the city's community.<ref name="auto" /> Malcolm is known for using his art to inspire activism. He was a member of UCAN's National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention and has championed a variety of issues through his poetry and talks.<ref name=":2" /> Malcolm London has written many poems, some of his most famous being "High School Training Ground,” "Never Too Late,” “Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day (Love Sosa),” and “Why You Talk Like That.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2014/03/18/the-poetry-of-malcolm-london|title=The Poetry Of Malcolm London|website=www.wbur.org|language=en|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref> He also has a range of music that appears on SoundCloud.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://malcolmlondon.com/music|title=Music|website=Malcolm London|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref> As an organizer, London was part of a historic youth delegation to the United Nations in Geneva to address police violence in America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=We Charge Genocide |url=http://wechargegenocide.org/ |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=wechargegenocide.org}}</ref> Deeply interested in working on ways to tackle sexual violence, mass incarceration, and improve the national education system, London regularly engages high schools, youth jails, colleges and communities through workshops, film and curriculum development. London also help start the largest youth ‘Open Mike’ in Chicago.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Inspiring Story Behind Chance the Rapper And Malcolm London’s Open Mike Nights |url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/07/17/malcolm-london-interview-chance-the-rapper-open-mikes |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=The FADER |language=en}}</ref> Malcolm was also one of three artists profiled in the Billboard Documentary piece, “Saving Chicago: Inside Hip-Hops Movement to Make Chicago a Better Place” when his debut hip hop project #OPIA, released in October 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Billboard |date=2016-11-29 |title=Saving Chicago: Inside Hip-Hop’s Movement to Make Chicago a Better Place – A Billboard Documentary |url=https://www.billboard.com/video/chicago-hip-hop-activism-billboard-documentary/ |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>  Malcolm’s work has been featured on national outlets including CBS, NPR, ''Huffington Post'', ''The Root'', and the ''Chicago Tribune''. London is currently featured in the documentary film ''BLACK BOYS,'' executive produced by NFL player Malcolm Jenkins and Never Whisper Justice, discussing ways to reimagine the future of Black boys in America. ''BLACK BOYS'' can be found on NBC’s new streaming service Peacock. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch Black Boys Documentary Streaming {{!}} Peacock |url=https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-movies/black-boys |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=@peacocktv |language=en-US}}</ref> === Politics === In 2015 Malcolm(22), was charged with aggravated battery to a police officer, the Chicago Tribune reported. Police claimed London punched a police officer, according to the Tribune. But after an outcry from fellow activists, who said London did not hit an officer and was standing peacefully when he was targeted by police and arrested. All the charges against London were dismissed a day later. <nowiki>#</nowiki>FreeMalcolmLondon was trending for most of the day Wednesday as protesters rallied to his defense. Four others were arrested during the protests, which came after the arrest of Officer Jason Van Dyke and the release of a dash cam video showing the officer shooting the 17-year-old McDonald 16 times in October 2014, but London faced the most serious charges. London was one of the leaders of the Black Youth Project 100, and helped organize the protests. In 2020 London (27), was arrested on May 21st while leading a protest in Hyde Park that quickly turned violent at the hands of the people. Video captured by a local TV station shows London, wearing the same yellow hoodie, being chased and surrounded by multiple police officers. The video shows the officers hitting London several times with their batons. After being injured during a protest march and spending a day in police custody, poet and activist Malcolm London was released the evening of June 1st after activists spent the day outside a South Side police station demanding his release. Outside the 2nd District police station, the group of protesters awaiting London’s release held signs that said “Free Malcolm Now,” and they chanted “let my people go.” The situation became tense, at times, as nearly a dozen police officers stood guard and tried to push demonstrators away from the entrance to the station.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-03 |title=Chicago Police Release Activist Malcolm London |url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/activist-malcolm-london-is-released-by-chicago-police/2eefffa9-0814-4bf1-b0f0-1cd7d27978c9 |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=WBEZ Chicago |language=en}}</ref> Malcolm suffered a broken finger and filed a lawsuit with the Westside Justice Center. === Accountability === In 2015, London was called out for sexual harm by a community member. Shortly after this call out, he willingly entered into a 15 month long community led transformative justice process to make amends for the harm he caused. London has made serious efforts to be publicly accountable. He's made public statements about his experience in accountability, and has dedicated his time to teaching other young men and boys about consent, ending gender violence, and challenging performative and toxic masculinity. In 2019 following the release of "Surviving R. Kelly" and an outpour of calls out naming gender violence in the hip hop community, Malcolm responded by stepping away from activist spaces, social media platforms, and art performances. In 2020, London was called out once again. Since Malcolm has taken a series of accountability measures and community actions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Malcolm's statement, 2019|url=https://twitter.com/malcolmlondon/status/1094991844080041986|access-date=2022-01-16|website=Twitter|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/black-youth-project-100-suspends-leader-sexual-assault/Content?oid=20330409|title = Black Youth Project 100 suspends a Chicago leader after sexual assault allegation|date = 3 December 2015}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|last=transformharm|title=Statement by Mariame (8/19/20)|url=https://transformharm.tumblr.com/|access-date=2022-03-15|website=transformharm.tumblr.com}}</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:London, Malcolm}} [[Category:African-American poets]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century African-American people]]'