Artist. Activist. Entrepreneur. Educator. Mississippi native, Chandra Kamaria has had an affinity for words since the age of ten.  Initially reading her mother's Harlequin romance novels, Chandra's journey into the literary world became an obsession as her thirst for books and knowledge consumed her.

Evolving from the romance genre, Chandra's inquisitive nature led her to the two-story library in her hometown where she combed the shelves searching for literary works by people who looked and sounded just like her.  This is when she discovered Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Allain Locke and the Harlem Renaissance, W.E.B. Dubois, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Gloria Wade-Gayles and a host of other writers that would captivate her attention for hours on end....or at least until the library closed at eight.

At thirteen, she penned her first poem entitled 'Captivation' and wrote her first short story by the age of fourteen. Since then, she has penned several poems, plays, essays and short stories as well as musical pieces that are set to be released over the next five years. Chandra's artistic expressions and her strong interest in the cultural and social progression of the African Diaspora became the foundation that has shaped her views of the world. All of these views are evident in her art as well as in her social activism.

Chandra's passion for music parallels her passion for words as she is also a songwriter and music business professional. Her current and past affiliations include ASCAP,the Black Alumni Chapter of the University of Memphis, and NABFEME (National Association for Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment) respectively. Some of her past projects include coordination assistance and/or spearheading several events in the Memphis area such as the Urban Music Forum and Showcase organized by the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS)--Memphis Chapter,and Main Street Sessions, a showcase that featured up and coming Memphis area R&B artists. Currently, she holds a position as Administrative Director for Neosoulville.com, an entertainment news and social events website.

In December 2007, Chandra made her theatrical debut as Woman 1 in the inaugural production of Forget Me Not Christmas written by playwright and Executive Director of Hattiloo Theatre, Ekundayo Bandele. During March 2008, she was the Stage Manager for the Hattiloo production of Topdog/Underdog, the Pulitzer Prize winning play by Suzan Lori-Parks.

Lastly, Chandra holds a BBA in Marketing Management and a MS in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis.  Currently, she is pursuing a Certificate in African American Literature as she desires to teach collegiate courses in the discipline and expects to begin doctoral work in 2009.