Born on October 9, 1948 in St Maries Infirmary in St Louis Mo, raised in East.St. Louis Ill and Compton California in the 50’s and 60’s
Graduated from Compton High School in 1966.
And went on to become Surf man #122, during his 25 years of service in the US Coast Guard, retiring in 1991.
From 1991-1996 served as the Logistics Manager for New York City Outward Bound Center.
Received an Associate in arts degree from Columbia College, in Columbia Missouri, (1991)
Retired from the Department Of Defense Police as a Lieutenant after 14 years of Service, (2014)
Challenge works ropes course Virginia Beach Public Schools and host at the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium.
Volunteer reader for the blind and vision impaired on the WHRO/Voice reading The New Journal and Guide on alternate Saturdays at 1:pm

Dennis grew up with a really bad stammer. It was at the point where it wasn't about what it would sound like when the words came out but IF THEY EVER WOULD COME OUT! This didn't make him a real social type person. He still wanted a "normal" life like everyone else who could talk so openly and freely had. He involved himself in as many clubs and organizations over the years that forced him to speak to group members in public. It wasn't until his 30's that he found Toastmasters International. They helped him learn how to breathe, concentrate, and be confident in public presentation. Then a few years after that he met Sheila and his whole world finally caught a break. She showed him the difference between public presentation and storytelling. He fits into the style of storytelling like hand in glove. He developed a love for humor and comedy while he was learning to speak all over again. He has a knack for expressing life's precious moments in an amusing, special, and insightful way. Some of his favorite stories are about his biological family and his wife.

Rob Holmes, known by his creative pseudonym Ace, hails from Hampton, Virginia—nestled in the vibrant Hampton Roads region (ZIP 757). Grounded by family values and discipline instilled by his father, Ace blossomed into an introspective, faith-driven young man, channeling his energy into the arts.
Creative Journey: Ace is a multifaceted spoken-word artist and musician, celebrated for his raw, soulful performances. A founding member of the cultural collective Tower of BABL, he combines literary and musical dynamics with spiritual undertones . Utilizing poetry and track performances, he engages audiences across Hampton Roads and beyond.
Published Author: Prolific and prolific: Ace emerges as a 6× published author, exploring themes of love, politics, race, spirituality, and identity. His poetry collections include:
• It All Makes Sense (2017)
• Love You To Pieces (2017)
• American Rage: Views from an Adult Civil Rights Child (2020) with Quentin B Jackson
His words have resonated through open-mics, community events, and deep-dive discussions on faith and culture.
Community & Collaboration: As part of the Tower of BABL team, Ace merges faith with pop culture—acting both as an artist and cultural storyteller . Through this platform, he reaches audiences with earnest messages rooted in humility, integrity, and perseverance.
In summary, Rob “Ace.” Holmes is a Hampton Roads creative rooted in family, faith, and community. His gifts span spoken-word artistry, music, and poetry—empowering listeners with reflection, hope, and inspiration.

I was born and raised in New York City. In the 1980’s I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. That’s where I met Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia in 2007. I was about to retire and decided storytelling was a good way to get involved with children in the community. It fit nicely with other community work that I was doing. I wanted to encourage children to learn more about our African American history and culture and to find joy in education, especially in reading.

I began telling folktales, mostly African and African American, then moved into writing African American historical profiles. But stories transcend borders, and soon I found stories that I wanted to tell stories from many other cultures, stories that reflect the oneness of humanity across the many cultures that they come from. That is why I now refer to my storytelling as “Amy’s Wonderful World of Stories.”

Sharran C. Taylor, also known as Spoken Word Artist Kween Yakini, is a published author, performance poet and Black History Month presenter. Her poetry book collections include Woke: A poetic Journey, The Dream And The Lie, Ode To The Punani: Sensual Rising and Tracing Black Music To The Roots which are all available on amazon. As a performing artist Kween has been able to grace the stage at venues such as, The Zeiders American Dream Theater, The Sandler Center, and The Hampton Coliseum just to name a few. Her poetry writings have also led her to present her own Black History Programs. For the past few years, she has been a constant feature for several Black History Month programs and has worked with several organizations in the Hampton Roads Virginia area. Currently, Kween is working on completing her fifth poetry book while also being sure to make time to support other artists in her community.
To learn more about the author you may visit her website: hookedonpoetry.com or contact her directly at sharranctaylor00@gmail.com

Born in Portsmouth and raised in Norfolk, John is a local who loves his stomping grounds. From getting his Master's and Bachelor's degrees from Old Dominion University in Computer Science, taking improv classes at Push Comedy, and leading panels in local conventions he's finding his voice on the stage.