Patricia Smith is a journalist, biographer, and poet who lives in New York City. She was National Individual Poetry Slam Champion for 1990, 1991, 1993, and was a member of the 1993 National Championship team. She has performed in Paris, Stockholm, and Germany, and is five-time Chicago Uptown Poetry Slam champ. She is the author of several books of poetry, including Life According to Motown, Big Towns, Big Talk, and Close to Death.