Luka Lesson is an Australian slam poet. He won the Australian Poetry Slam in 2011 and has been described by Charlie Dark as "a young

Saul Williams Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 independent film ''Slam ( ...

" in reference to his composition and delivery of poetry in providing social commentary.

Early life

Lesson grew up in Brisbane. His family is

Greek Australian Greek Australians () are Australians of Greek ancestry. Greek Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Greek diaspora. As per the 2021 Australian census, 424,750 people stated that they had Greek ancestry (whether alone o ...

with his paternal grandfather coming from

Monolithos ''Monolithos, Poems 1962 and 1982'' is the second book of poetry by American poet Jack Gilbert. It was nominated for all three major American book awards: the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and the National Boo ...

Rhodes Rhodes (; ) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the island forms a separ ...

and later settled in Brisbane.

Education

Lesson holds a first class honours degree in Indigenous Studies and in 2010 and 2011, taught that same topic alongside Indigenous academics at

Monash University Monash University () is a public university, public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Named after World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the ...

. He also holds a Master of Sound Design from the

Victorian College of the Arts The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is the arts school at the University of Melbourne in Australia. It is part of the university's Faculty of Fine Arts and Music (FFAM). It is located near the Melbourne city centre on the Southbank campus ...

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

, supervised by Roger Alsop.

Work

Lesson works actively with young people to develop their power of expression, and to utilize the form of the spoken (and written) word as a means of empowerment and a form of self-determination, creating awareness for marginalized and disempowered youth. He is particularly famous for his poem titled "Please resist me". His first album ''Please Resist Me'' was published in February 2012. The album name, and specifically the song entitled "Please Resist Me" speaks to colonial powers, and powers that further seek to exploit, undermine and diminish people and communities and the strength that can be found in this struggle, and its contribution to change. He has collaborated with the

Queensland Symphony Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra in the state of Queensland. The orchestra is based in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's building in South Bank. The Orchestra is funded by private corporations, the ...

, performing his concerto interrogating the life of Governor

Lachlan Macquarie Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Companion of the Order of the Bath, CB (; ; 31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Scotland. Macquarie served as the fifth Gove ...

. He has performed alongside other international artists such as

Shane Koyczan Shane L. Koyczan , born 22 May 1976, is a Canadian spoken word poet, writer, and member of the group Tons of Fun University. He is known for writing about issues like bullying, cancer, death, and eating disorders. He is most famous for the ant ...

(Canada),

Amir Sulaiman Emir (; ' (), also transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremonial authority. The title has ...

(USA),

Lowkey Kareem Dennis (born 23 May 1986), better known by his stage name Lowkey, is a British rapper and activist from London. He first became known through a series of mixtapes he released before he was 18, before taking a hiatus from the music busi ...

(UK) and

Lemon Anderson The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some evi ...

(USA), and was invited to perform features at the famous

Nuyorican Poet's Cafe Nuyorican is a portmanteau word blending "New York" (or "Nueva York" in Spanish) and "Puerto Rican," referring to Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, their culture, or their descendants (especially those raised or currently livin ...

in New York City in 2011 and 2012. In April 2022, he performed in a one-man show called "Agapi and Other Kinds of Love" at the

National Museum of Australia The National Museum of Australia (NMA), in the national capital Canberra, preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation. It was formally established by the ''Nation ...

References

External links

Luka Lesson websitewritersfestival.co.nz
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesson, Luka Australian poets Slam poets Australian people of Greek descent People from Brisbane