Page 6 - DAOT High Tea Overview

POETRY
T'KEYAH "CRYSTAL" KEYMAH
"Some of My Best Friends:
A Collection of Characters"
Year Published: 1998

T'KEYAH "CRYSTAL" KEYMÁH is an accomplished entertainer, writer, director and
producer who has performed across the US and on four continents. Best known for her starring roles on seven
television shows including the internationally popular In Living Color, Cosby, and That’s So Raven, she can
currently be seen on Hulu’s There’s Johnny. She has also performed with three singing groups, four dance
companies, in twenty films and more than fifty theatrical productions including T’Keyah Live! …Mostly: A
True Variety Show, and her newest self-penned show, Don’t Get Me Started. Behind the camera, she directs
for stage and television, has produced four independent films including One Last Time, winner of the
Worldfest – Houston Silver Award. Keymáh is also co-executive producer for the new musical feature film,
Revival! She has active memberships with many charitable and civic organizations including the NAACP,
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Co-chair for Delta’s National Arts & Letters Commission. A long time
vegetarian and avid gardener, she is an activist for health and education equality, the environment and civil
rights, and has established scholarships at Meharry Medical College and Florida A & M University (FAMU).
Keymáh is the author of the book version of her acclaimed solo show, Some of My Best Friends, the popular
coffee table book, Natural Woman / Natural Hair, and is a contributing writer to four other books. She is
included among The HistoryMakers®, The Chicago African American History Makers®, and Who’s Who
Among Black Americans, and has collected all of FAMU’s highest honors including a Doctorate of Humane
Letters.

FICTION ROMANCE
MELISSA LAWSON
"Love is a Gamble: Play to Win"
Year Published: 2016

Melissa Lawson is a native of Philadelphia. Her love of writing began as a teenager when she would
write short stories and poems. Her love continued into adulthood when she had one of her poems, "Were You
There," published in the “Ex Umbra” while in college at North Carolina Central University. She was truly
inspired to write about her experience at the historic "Million Woman March" in 1998. Her debut novel, "Two
of Hearts," was released on May 26, 2015 to great reviews with the sequel, "Love Is A Gamble: Play To Win,"
released October 2016. She began writing romance novels because of her relationship research. The stories
that she uncovered, ultimately became a blog entitled, “My Relationship Reality." In addition to being an
author, she is an educator, cheerleading coach, high school counselor and proud member of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Incorporated. Melissa currently resides in the Philadelphia area with her husband and three children.