We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matthew Cuban Hernandez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matthew below.
Matthew, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
When I was a child I would see how my mother would show up in the world. She would offer time patience money or food if we have it or could afford to. She molded being a good human and I feel an obligation to carry that energy on.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a Brown boy embracing all
that is my mix.
Matthew ‘Cuban’ Hernandez is a poet, emcee, speaker, actor, and performance coach from Jacksonville, Florida. He has toured as far as Abu Dhabi and nearly every major city in the United States and Europe, performing, teaching and coaching poetry. A teaching artist for over 15 years, Matthew has spent the last ten years working in youth detention centers across Los Angeles County, currently serving as the Director of Camp Programming for Street Poets, Inc. In addition, he is a current Lead Teacher and Co-Founder of Spoken Literature Art Movement. Cuban has opened for artists such as Wu-Tang, performed for platforms such as BuzzFeed and NPR and even appeared on the award-winning television show, Better Things. For the last two summers Matthew lead an arts and culture delegation to perform, teach and speak in Havana Cuba. Matthew is also a three time Southern Fried poetry slam champion and an award-winning poetry coach. Cuban’s favorite activity is making people feel great; sometimes he does this through hip hop and poetry.
What I’ve been up to
It’s been a beautiful summer
I dropped my second book of poetry to a sold out book release. This was such a magical event and the culmination of 3 years of hard work and processing the grief in my life. To top things off my book became an Amazon best seller the next day!
I took a delegation of 15 teachers, artists and activists to Havana Cuba!
8 who I work with teaching poetry to incarcerated youth and classrooms around Los Angeles with the phenomenal @streetpoetsinc in partnership with @cmlkcuba and @wfpsolidaritycollective
In June I celebrated another year around the sun, living in my purpose, and gave away over 300 copies of “All Brown Boys Get Trumpets” and the final prints of “3032” to a few hundred amazing high school students!
I’d love to see you at Street Poets inc’s FREE WEEKLY Writing and Meditation circle! You can join inperson at our office or virtually on Zoom!
I’m working on a few other exciting projects and can’t wait to let you know about but for now please be good to yourself. Please find more reasons to laugh, to dance, to be passionate, and to love yourself and others better!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Practice, study and consistency.
It was important to practice my craft as often as possible this meant going to community events and open mic. Surrounding myself with other artist and finding people I can learn from.
Study is critical. You need to understand what the peak of your craft can be. Read or watch the artist you admire. Take what you love about what they do with the craft and make it your own.
Consistency. Be impeccable with your word. To collaborators and to yourself.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Oh the places you will go by doctor suse. You’d be very surprised about the gold in that book.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.matthewcuban.com
- Instagram: @matthewcuban
- Facebook: Matthew Cuban
- Youtube: Matthew Cuban
- Soundcloud: Matthew cuban
- Other: Spotify Matthew cuban
Image Credits
None
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
