Bassey Ikpi

**Bassey Ikpi** na Naija pesin wey dem bon for America. Shi sabi pafom spoken-word poetry, shi dey rait, an shi dey faight for beta mental health awareness. Shi don sho for HBO Def Poetry five taimes, an ha poetry don open shos for Grammy awod winas. Shi bi New York Times best-selling author of I'm Telling The Truth But I'm Lying. For 2020, shi jorj one writing kompetition for Indiana Review, an dem add ha nem for OkayAfrica's 100 Wuman list—wey dem celebrate wumen wey dey build beta future for Afrika.

## How shi tek stat ha journey
Bassey Ikpi na fom Cross River Stet, Nigeria. Shi bi Ugep pesin, but dem bon ha for Ikom on August 3, 1976. Wen shi bi four years old, shi waka go Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA, wit ha parents. Shi liv for dia till shi rish 13, bifor dem muv go Greenbelt, Maryland, near Washington DC.

Shi go Universiti of Maryland, Baltimore County, go stodi English. Na for dia shi stat dey pafom ha poetry for opun mic events for Baltimore an Washington DC. Shi no finish skul, as shi leave for ha final year to chase ha dream for New York City.

Ha career stat wen shi sho for Teen Summit, one American tok sho wey BET (Black Entertainment Television) dey run. As shi enta New York, shi meet difren poetry grups, lik Louder Arts Movement an Nuyorican Poets Café. Na dia shi sabi sey poetry na crious wok. Shi blo for Def Poetry Jam, wia shi pafom for five seasons, tour wit dem for one year (wey start for Edinburgh Fringe Festival), an leta join dia nashonal tour for anoda year (2001–2004).

## How shi tek no sey shi get mental health

For January 2004, as shi dey tour for Def Poetry Jam, shi get crious breakdown for Chicago. Shi dey sofa fom depression, anxiety, an sleep palava (insomnia). Few days leta as shi rish New York, dem diagnose ha wit Bipolar II Disorder. Shi tok abaut am for Huffington Post for 2011. Shi sey shi don holways feel sey sumetin dey difren abaut ha sind shi bi smol pikin.

Shi dey uze ha stori encourej pipu wey dey struggle wit mental health, mek dem no shame to find hep. Shi don rait for Ebony, Huffington Post, Essence, xoJane, an The Root about mental health an pop kolsho.

## How shi tek kom bak home
Sh first kom bak to Nigeria wen shi bi 12, an again wen shi bi 18. In 2012, wen shi don rish 36 years, shi return Lagos to wok on poetry, writing, and TV projects.

For Lagos, shi organize "Basseyworld Presents Naija Poetry Slam", Nigeria first national poetry slam, for September 2012. Pipu tok sey na niu way to tek showcase spoken-word poetry for Nigeria.

In 2014, afta Boko Haram kidnap skul children fom Chibok, shi organize "Do The Write Thing", one spoken-word event wey support Bring Back Our Girls movement. Shi stil do song wit 2Face Idibia wey dem kol Break The Silence to support the cause

## How she dey fight for mental health awareness

Shi create The Siwe Project to rimemba ha frend daughter, Siwe Monsanto, wey die by suicide for 2011 afta shi struggle wit depression. The project dey hep pipu wey get mental illness mek dem no shame to find hep. E bi global non-profit organization wey dey focus on mental health awareness for black communities.

For July 2, 2013, shi launch "No Shame Day", wey dey encourage pipu to tok abaut dia mental health struggles for social media witout shame. The goal na to mek more pipu feel free to seek treatment.

## Ha buk wey tok ha stori
In 2017, shi anous sey shi go rilis ha first buk, wey shi first nem Making Friends With Giants, but leta chenj am to I'm Telling The Truth But I'm Lying. Di buk kom out for August 2019 an bi New York Times Bestseller.

Essence magazine call am "stunning essay collection", while Kola Tubosun talk say the book na "map wey fit help people understand mental illness." Di buk tok abaut how shi gro up for Nigeria and America, ha struggles wit famili, depression, hospital experience, an how shi leta manej ha bipolar disorder.

## Som of ha spoken-word performans
."Sometimes Silence is the Loudest Kind of Noise" – Def Poetry Jam (2003)

."Homeward" – Def Poetry Jam (2004)

."Diallo" – Def Poetry Jam (2005)

."I Want to Kiss You" – Def Poetry Jam (2006)

."Apology to My Unborn" – Def Poetry Jam (2007)

."Invisible Barriers" – Girl Effect (2016)

## Wia dem gada tori