Mo "Loumoste" Stegall Speaks with Associated Content

"There is a generation of voiceless individuals living in our communities with no viable avenue to articulate their thoughts, concerns, experiences, or rights. Those individuals are suffering gravely from abandonment, loneliness and a sense of helplessness. It is our responsibility as spoken word artists to educate, encourage, and empower those individuals sanctioning them to verbalize their viewpoints and be heard. If you believe in justice and equality, then it's time to stop making excuses and give a voice to those without one."....Loumoste".

Wow, what a mouth full! When I read those words, I knew I had to find out more about this man called Loumoste. I was able to catch up with this mover and shaker to get a personal look at the man behind the vision.

AC: Welcome Loumoste! We are so fortunate to have such a visionary come and speak with us.

MS: The pleasure is all mine, I truly appreciate you for the invitation and opportunity to openly educate, encourage, and empower people through this viable medium.

AC: As a native of Atlanta, Georgia, how did you feel growing up in the projects? Did you feel that you had something to prove to the world?

MS: Well I've never felt a need to prove myself just be myself...I was often ashamed of living in the projects growing up because I felt the environment in which I lived and the public sector in which I ventured to further my education were entirely two different worlds. See I lived in public housing yet went to school an hour or so away from home in Buckhead, Atlanta which is known as a very upscale community....so the transition from ghetto Mo to Buckhead Mo was a bit overwhelming at times because I wanted the life most of my classmates had.

Although I didn't necessarily feel I had something to prove to the world, I felt I had something to prove to myself and some of the people in my community that although we lived in the ghetto the ghetto didn't have to consume our thoughts and that we could rise above our current circumstance and be better if not for ourselves for the generation that would come behind us.

AC: As the baby of the family, how were you treated by your siblings?

MS: Ironically my siblings always showed me love...my middle brother and I had a few difficulties early but we resolved those issues as adolescents and moved on....and today they all look up to me call me often for advice or just wisdom...odd huh!

AC: Okay, let's get to the name "Loumoste". I heard that it was a combination of your late mother's name LOUise, and MO is your nickname and the STE is from your last name STEgall. Can you tell us a little about your mother, Louise and did she motivate you to become the man that you are today?

MS: Mama was a giant killer, a warrior and a very strong and influential woman...she taught me a great deal not to depend on the system..." broaden your horizions and don't let anyone stop you from succeeding including yourself". My mother treated me very different from my brothers, (my sister didn't live with us) she often was very hard on me and believe it or not we didn't get along for most of my teen years it actually wasn't until

I went off to college that our relationship took a turn for the better....but she revealed to me before she passed that she was always hard on me because she saw the potential of who I would be once she wasn't around and she needed me to be strong and not depend on others. My mother couldn't have set a better standard for me to immolate. So yes, mama made me Loumoste and everything I have accomplished it was because she saw a visionary in me before I knew what a visionary was and she preppeed me for life outside of public housing by busing me an hour or so away from the hood so that I could get culturally diversified.

AC: I know that you are a passionate visionary that is gifted in writing, educating and directing, but I want you to tell me about your poetic prophecies. How does God use you in that area of ministry?

MS: Strangely I wasn't aware that I had a poetic gift or writing for that matter until my freshman year of college. I wrote an essay in English class and my professor Peter Geireis took that essay and put it on display in the classroom as a guide to how his students should write. It really surprised me how fascinated he was with the creativity and outlandish view point that I displayed. His exact words to me were "I have never seen anyone put words together in this manner with such imagination and poise."

He began to work with me and show me that I had a gift to write and from that point I began to write more because someone of status believed that I was not just good at it but that I could become great at it. I often pray for words because I believe that the things that I write could not form in my mind alone it has to be the voice of the Lord because of the manner in which the writings are conceived and displayed...and through those writings people from all over the world have been educated, encouraged, and empowered. I have a poem that became the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness poem...til this very day it is very powerful in that community.

AC: Let's talk about your S.E.L.F show in Charlotte, NC. What does S.E.L.F stand for and where did your motivation come from to create this show?

MS: The S.E.L.F Show stands for (Simply. Expressing. Life. Freely) and was actually birthed out of a program that we started entitled "The Fly High Poetic Language Enrichment Program" it is a program that teaches young people the importance of self-expression and communication utilizing various forms of poetic expressions such as writings, drama, dance, and music to name a few. In one of my open discussion sessions with a group of teens they began to open up about various problems they were encountering at home and school and so forth and God gave me the vision of The S.E.L.F Show.

AC: I know you've captivated audiences with various articles, editorials, columns and television productions such as The Lounge, The S.E.L.F Show, Pulse of the City, Spotlight and Straight Talk with Michael Steven's, but what project has given you the greatest satisfaction?

MS: Without taking any merit away from the other programs but it would have to be The S.E.L.F Show because of who it reaches...those are precious individuals who often times feel like they don't have a lucrative voice in society to express their concerns and thoughts in a sociable environment...they are the future and we as a people are not allowing them adequate avenues to speak and be heard....yeah The S.E.L.F Show

AC: Loumoste, can you tell our readers where they can catch your latest S.E.L.F show and where they can get in touch with you to find out more about your itinerary?

MS: you can always view an episode of the show at a few locations www.theselfshwo.com or www.myspace.com/theselfshow and for my itinerary you can log on to www.myspace.com/loumoste

AC: Before I let you go, what words of wisdom can you leave with our readers about Perseverance and the benefits of persevering?

MS: Persevering is seeing it through until its complete...well I have a saying "Life sometimes throws you a curve ball so illusive that you can't hit it...what determines your destiny is if you put the bat down or continue swinging...because eventually you'll get the rhythm of the pitches and knock it out the park or at least hit the ball" So keep swinging at the obstacles, the closed doors and eventually one will open and stay open for you to walk right in....Who told you it would be easy...God has a plan for your life...Stay Educated, Encouraged, and Empowered

AC: Wow, you do have a way with words. Well said Loumoste! Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors Loumoste and keep making it do what it do!

Credit Acknowledgement: (Photo shoot conducted by LA Photo)