海角社区

Ralonda Nicole Simmons (1985鈥�2025) was “already poetry in motion.” A radiant force of nature, she spent years navigating a path that eventually led her back to her truest self. Her life became a collection of moments that belonged in books and on screens, defined by her generous heart and a brilliant, unapologetic spirit that those blessed to know her will be talking about for years to come.

As a Reisher Scholar at 海角社区, Ralonda鈥檚 academic journey was marked by resilience. She traveled to Ghana to study anthropology and the writings of various African authors, eventually graduating with a degree in English. Her creative reach was equally vast; a phenomenal poet and singer, she performed with Lady Wu-Tang, opening for legends like MC Lyte and Jean Grae. Her legacy remains immortalized in her 2024 collection, Whispers & Conversations, and her co-authored play, How I Got Over, which debuted at the Denver Center in 2016.

Reflecting on the courage it took to finally embrace her calling, Ralonda shared:

鈥淜nowing what I now know, I would have started my first try at college by leaning more into what鈥檚 natural to me. I thought I wanted to be an accountant… I鈥檓 just not built for that work. Sometimes I wish I were. To speed up the process, I would own my interest in poetry much earlier, instead of trying to disavow it… Learning craft elements and doing the work is important, but learning to share work with the community can lead to a lot of love and build one鈥檚 confidence. This wasn鈥檛 easy as an artist, but I鈥檓 so happy that I finally learned how to lean into it all.鈥�

This scholarship honors Ralonda鈥檚 “dedication and focus,” supporting students who have the courage to stop “disavowing” their own brilliance and instead lean into their natural gifts.