Teachers & Writers Collaborative

Liza Jessie Peterson

Liza is a classically trained actress and alumnus of the renowned National Shakespeare Conservatory and has been a student of the legendary coach to the stars, Susan Batson, since 1994. Liza has performed her poetry on HBO’s Def Poetry (two episodes) and on Between the Lions (three episodes), a popular children’s television show with puppets.

Best-known for her exceptional poetic skills, Liza began her poetry career at the famed Nuyorican Poets Café in 1995 and was a vital member of the enclave of notable poets who were part of the “underground slam poetry” movement before it attracted television cameras and national obsession. It was this electric group of artists that inspired Russell Simmons to bring “slam poetry” to HBO.

Liza has also appeared in several feature films and has written several plays. Her current tour de force, The Peculiar Patriot, is a one-woman show/comedic satire about the prison industrial complex, which she has toured to more than 50 penitentiaries across the country. Liza has taught creative writing and poetry to youth at Rikers Island and in high-risk communities for more than a decade. Her dedication and commitment to arts and education is stellar.

For more information and press on Liza please visit her website: www.lizajessiepeterson.com.