Poet and activist, Sonia Sanchez in Rehearsal for Def Poetry

Award-winning poet Sonia Sanchez rehearsing for Def Poetry Jam

What's The 411 attended a media event for Def Poetry Jam, and captured poet and activist, Sonia Sanchez, during a rehearsal/sound check for an episode of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, better known as Def Poetry Jam.

An educator, mother, and winner of several awards for her poetry and activism, Ms. Sanchez is most often associated with the Black Arts Movement. In fact, Sanchez was a very influential part of the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Studies Movement. Sanchez has edited two anthologies on Black literature, We Be Word Sorcerers: 25 Stories by Black Americans and 360° of Blackness Coming at You. She continues to advocate for the rights of oppressed women and minority groups.

Def Poetry Jam, a spoken word poetry television series hosted by Mos Def, in addition to Ms. Sanchez, featured many established and up-and-coming poets and spoken word artists and aired on HBO from 2002 through 2007.