Award-Winning Poet, Artistic Educator, America’s Got Talent Winner, and Motivational Speaker
An artistic visionary whose roots lie in the ghettos of south side Stockton, California, Brandon Leake is a spoken word poet, educator and motivational speaker and the winner of the fifteenth season of America’s Got Talent.
Journey
Being born and raised to a single parent household with his mother, Carla Leake-Gibson, Brandon was accustomed to the complexities of playing this game of life with the decks stacked against you. However, with a strong home life and some divine intervention Brandon made it out of his neighborhood ghetto into a college classroom. This journey came with its many trials from the loss of integral members of his family and abusive home life, but these trails mixed with this spiritual collegiate journey would soon blossom into a beautiful poetic journey.
American’s Got Talent
Brandon was the first spoken word poet to be on America’s Got Talent and received the Golden Buzzer award in the first round from Howie Mandel. He performed pieces about his sister who died, his father, Black Lives Matter and his daughter. He was named the champion of the 15th season in September 2020, Go Home with $1 Million Cash Prize, a Brand New Car Kia Stinger & Star in Luxor Las Vegas.
Keynote Speaker
He has spoken in 36 US states, New Zealand, Mexico and Canada with his Dark Side Tour to promote his published poetry and his album called Deficiencies: A Tale from My Dark Side.
Academics
He teaches at Brookside school daycare center, where he worked with his wife. He is also an academic advisor at San Joaquin Delta College.
Called to Move
Leake is the founder and CEO of Called to Move (CTM), an organization that helps youth through poetry. He founded the organization in 2012 at Simpson University. This pursuit led to Brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed himself.
Web Series
In October 2020, it was announced Leake would service as the producing partner and contributor to the Team Harmony Foundation’s new international web series, HATE: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
Leake is from Stockton, California. He is married and has one daughter who was born shortly before his first audition.[
SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE
Brandon Leake offers spoken word performances at schools (elementary, middle, and high school), colleges, churches, non-profits, and special events.
POETRY WORKSHOP
Brandon Leake has designed a set of curricula to engage participants in an interactive journey with poetry. Brandon’s curricula has been implemented in multiple states, most notably for its use in several schools in Maryland (implemented by The Poet Life) and California (implemented by Called To Move – CTM).
KEYNOTE SPEAKING
Brandon Leake has a wealth of experience in public speaking and community activism/planning. With this in mind Brandon provides a beautiful and powerful blend of speaking and art into his Keynote Presentations.
All Brandon Leake Books
B-Sides: Lifes Scraps Can Still Be Beautiful
Purchase BookThe way Brandon Leake’s poetry impacted me the most was at the REACH Conference, where I realized that I was not too emotional and I was loved for exactly who I AM. This moment with Brandon was the final push I needed to accept Jesus into my heart.
- | Irie Dickerson
Thank you Brandon Leake for inspiring me! This really impacted me and made me change my perspective because I used to think I was going to be what everyone tells me I will be, but now I KNOW I can do anything.
- | David G.
Brandon Leake’s poetry brings hope back to Stockton and the culture in general. He leads by example never trying to fit in but always standing out with love and passion he has for what he does. He showed me a lot, to never be ashamed of who you are and always keep God first.
- | Kevin Goodwin
