Laini Mataka produced Black Ivory, her first record of poetry set to music, in 1971. That recording was followed by Me and a Friend. Her books, published by Black Classic Press, include Black Rhythms for Fancy Dancers, Never as Strangers, Restoring the Queen, and Being a Strong Black Woman Can Getchu Killed. Her work has been included in numerous anthologies including Sisterfire, 360 Degrees, In Search of Color Everywhere and Day of Absence. Laini is an award-winning poet and teaching artist. She was inducted into the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing’s International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of Afrikan Descent in 2009.
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