Jessica Ayala is an Indigenous Colombian multidisciplinary artist.

A surrealist jazz poet, Miss Ayala’s work is a fusion of her heritage merging spoken word, oral tradition, song writing and percussion. A published author, public speaker, diversity trainer and writer-in-residence alumni of Charlotte Street Foundation, she creates spaces to celebrate Brown joy.

Her collection of poetry, Huelga, is a multidimensional experience celebrating all facets of Brown resilience. A collection inspired by the love she has for her Indigeneity and the untold stories of undocumented families during her time as a community organizer. She is currently on tour with Huelga inviting students across campuses to explore the concepts of decolonization. Miss Ayala is also a diversity and inclusion trainer with twenty five years of experience as a facilitator.

Ayala immigrated to the United States at the age of three, publishing her first series of poems for the Young Authors Conference at the age of eight. Her current poetry has been published in two anthologies winning an Honorable Medal in the 2017 International Latino Book Awards. Additionally, Miss Ayala is the recipient of the 2018 Best Kansas City Spoken Word Artist Award and was recently awarded the 2020 Civil and Human Rights Award by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).