I chose the name Legacy during a time in my life when I was not always the positive person that I am now. During my teen years, those were very rough and dark times in my life. One day I sat and pondered my existence and asked myself; "If I died today, what kind of legacy would I leave behind?" The answer was not one that comforted me so I sought to change myself for the better. I became enlightened and was able to elevate into my higher divine self instead of remaining shackled to the pain. I took on the name Legacy because it is a gift, or an inheritance passed from generation to generation. I wanted my legacy to be something positive and beneficial to my family, friends, and community.

I have performed at numerous cafes, clubs, and events in the Metro Detroit Area in the last several years. The feeling of being onstage is very heady, and I was always so nervous when I first took stages. I can't say I have an addiction to the stage like many artists do. My objective is for the crowd to feel my words, relate to them, and walk away absorbing the message. I'm not doing this for the handclaps, though the applause and approval feels really good. I want my words to affect your life, to enlighten you, to cause you to unleash your own thoughts and free your mind. I have had the honor of sharing stages with acclaimed artists such as Jessica Care Moore, Amiri Baraka, Umar Bin Hassan of the Last Poets, Khary Kimani Turner and the Black Bottom Collective, and Third Eye Open Poetry Collective. I have had many memorable moments of the last few years in my spoken word career, but two of the greatest moments was when I first met Amiri Baraka and saw him perform "Somebody Blew Up America" live. It was unbelievable how he mastered and spellbound the crowd. I mean the brother had the white men calling him Master, and I was like wow, that Black man is powerful! The second greatest memory was the night I met the Last Poets and we all had drinks together at Pitch Black Word Circle in Highland Park. We sat and just talked for hours. It was so peace! I suppose I should recall a memorable performance...lol...one of the best performances I ever gave was the night I did my version of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" at Camillian Cafe in Detroit---that night I ripped it, and the crowd response was so enthusiastic. I totally lost myself in the passion and power of that piece.

I think the Internet opens up a whole new avenue for artists to market and distribute their art. Instead of having middlemen you can bring your product straight to the net where people all over the world can access it. It's a cost effective as well. It's wonderful that with the click of a mouse people can have access to really good music and artists. It's expanding past the boundaries you otherwise might not have reached trying to get into the mainstream of the industry.

I doubt that any major record label will sign me up, because conscious poetry cannot be commercialized to that degree. For example Saul Williams, an exceedingly talented poet and artist released "Amethyst Rockstar" on a major label, but did not receive half the marketing a top musician would. This is not the formulaic song and dance routine. Words can't be squeezed into little dresses, airbrushed, and prepackaged---it requires pure talent, skill, and style to be a true spoken word artist and poet. Besides I'm not sacrificing the conscious content of my poetry for commercialism. This is not about contracts or money to me, this is all about writing for a change.

“A pen and a prayer is my salvationâ€쳌, Legacy Leonard affirms of her burning need to create and inspire. Ever since her childhood years Legacy has been enthralled with the art of written word. First published at the age of 13 in an anthology entitled Master Mixx, and making her spoken word debut at 15 at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1995 she has shown a commanding ability to elevate and educate through poetry. Through arts and activism Legacy spreads her messages of self love, consciousness, community, upliftment and change with passion and power.

It was in 1997 after completing an internship at the Detroit Free Press that Legacy embarked upon the beginning of her performance career at the locally legendary Cafe Mahogany. In May 2001 she joined Black Ink Collective, and has honed her skills and commanded the attention of audiences in the Metro Detroit area and across the country at colleges, universities, festivals and numerous events.

She has shared stages with poetical icons The Last Poets, Amiri Baraka, Jessica “careâ€쳌 Moore, Black Bottom Collective, Third Eye Open Poetry Collective, Jamaal “Versizâ€쳌 May, and countless others..

Her poetry has also been featured in Internet magazines “Black Gurrl Poetryâ€쳌 and “Fresh Anglesâ€쳌. Her work has been a selected feature for Timbooktu.com and she is the first winner of the New Word Order First National Net Slam January 2005. She has spoken word audios in rotation on Internet radio stations Vocalized Ink.org, FreedomPath Radio.com, and Blackmic.com. She has been interviewed on radio station WHPR 88 FM (Highland Park) and has appeared on the local talk shows "Homegrown Detroit" and "Poetic Flow", Television 68. She has appeared in the documentaries “Detroit Poets Against The Warâ€쳌 (2003) and the international “Shrinking Citiesâ€쳌 (2004).

Legacy has also been a member of the activist performance collectives, Deph-Onyx, and Pitch Black Poetry Collective . She currently hosts her own radio shows on Vocalized Ink Radio's “Rep Your Cityâ€쳌 and New Word Order's "Reachback Innerviews" with established writers and celebrity poets. She is a contributing columnist to DetroitPoetry.com E-Zine.

Once a former gang member, Legacy now spends much of her time contributing to community activism and empowerment. She continues to support various causes, and organizing and coordinating community events. “The power belongs to the people, and only through positive investment can we counteract the negativity that destroys our people and our communities. It is so important to utilize the arts as a vehicle of positive and progressive changeâ€쳌

I have many influences on my writing and songs. I love Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, The Last Poets, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Saul Williams and so forth. These writers have played a major role in the sculpting of my style and thought in writing. Musicians that I love to compose to and influence my music are greats like Coletrane, Miles, Faruq Z. Bey, Ella Fitzgerald, Erykah Badu, Kina, Carlos Santana, Staind, great jazz musicians, and rappers like Tupac, Common, Talib Kweli. The list of singers and rappers that influence my writing and music is too long to list. All types of music influences my work from jazz to rap, to reggae to rock.

My favorite city on Earth is Detroit, hands down, because even though this city wearies me, there is no place more beautiful to me than my own birthplace. This city has played a role in the development of who I am as a woman and an artist. There are so many lessons I've learned , and so many rewards I've earned living here. I'm proud to call myself a Native Detroiter.