Illinois Authors

Lakisha Marie Tanksley

Born: January 23, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois
Died: 2005

Pen Name: None

Connection to Illinois: Tanksley was raised on Chicago's West Side by her mother, whom she described as her biggest supporter.

Biography: Lakisha Marie Tanksley was a poet, writer, inspirational speaker and actress, who sought to uplift and encourage everyone she met. She was the author of two books of poetry - There Is an Oasis: A Collection of Motivational Poems (1996) and Bridge of Hope (2000). Lakisha illustrated her books of poetry. Lakisha started writing at the age of 8. She wrote words and thoughts down in a diary, but it wasn't until she was 13 years old that she realized that what she was writing was poetry. At the age of 14 she was nominated by the Austin Weekly newspaper as the 'Poet Laureate' of her Chicago community. At the age of 22, she was a published author, playwright, lyricist and actress. In her late 20s, she was a contributing writer for the Citizen Newspaper. Lakisha was also the founder of U.T.O.U.R. (Unlimited Talent on the Uprise). She worked tirelessly in her community to inspire children and young people to follow their dreams. Lakisha also wrote "Noel of Peace," a Christmas musical. She was an actress on the Christian soap opera "The Awakening." She liked to describe herself as a writer and motivational speaker by inspiration and an actress by aptitude.

Primary Literary Genre(s): Poetry

Primary Audience(s): Adult readers

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