Brandon Leake

Brandon Leake is an award-winning spoken word poet, artistic educator, and motivational speaker from Stockton, California. Known for his unique blend of art, charisma, and passion, Brandon's personal narrative has taken him across the globe, with performances in New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, and 36 U.S. states as part of his "Dark Side Tour." This tour promotes his first published poetry chapbook and his acclaimed album, "Deficiencies: A Tale From My Dark Side", which focuses on transparency and healing. Leake gained national recognition as the winner of the 2020 season of "America’s Got Talent", where his powerful and emotional performances resonated deeply with audiences and judges alike.

In addition to his success as a performer, Brandon is the founder and CEO of Called To Move (CTM), an organization dedicated to aiding youth in self-actualization and personal development through poetry. Through CTM, he has led workshops around the world, including several curricula he developed, and worked directly with young people in his hometown of Stockton, CA. Brandon’s educational outreach extends to training teachers and staff on the importance of self-care, recently completing a week-long residency at Legacy Charter Schools in Phoenix, Arizona. His commitment to fostering creativity and personal well-being in youth is further reflected in his upcoming creative writing curriculum for middle and high school students, set to launch with Vertex next semester.

Brandon’s artistic endeavors continue to evolve, most recently with his debut short film, "Complexity", for which he won four Telly Awards, including Non-Broadcast Writing and Voice Over and Narration. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the film, further showcasing his versatility as a creator. Currently, Brandon is working on his fifth studio album, "Stockton Soul", a collaboration with a jazz band and the Stockton Symphony, which will feature both recorded works and additional poems. His artistic journey emphasizes themes such as civil rights, social justice, and the transformative power of art, whether in classrooms, on stage, or through the screen. Additionally, he presents keynotes like "Discipline Over Motivation" and "Mosaic" that explore the benefits of discipline and the value of cultural uniqueness, using personal stories and cultural insights.