Bio:
Denisha “Coco Blossom” Bland is a Poet-Mentor, Educator, Author, Model, Social Influencer, and Scholar-Activist. She is celebrated for her dedication to advocacy, community empowerment, and inspiring transformative change.
Originally from Pittsburg, CA, and raised in South Sacramento, Coco currently serves as the Associate Director of Sacramento Area Youth Speaks (SAYS). In this role, she mentors young girls and inner-city youth, helping them discover their voices, tap into their power, and become catalysts for change.
Coco earned a B.A. in African American Studies and Education from UC Davis and an Associate Degree in Organizational Communication and Liberal Arts from Cosumnes River College. Her passion lies in empowering others through spoken word and storytelling. She believes spoken word is a profound tool for healing, self-expression, and sparking meaningful change.
Her spoken word journey began in 2009 at Pittsburg Word. Since then, Coco has performed and hosted countless open-mics and community events, including Fillmore Black History, the Sacramento Women’s March, Microphone Mondays, the Mondavi Center Open Mic, and even opened for Hillary Clinton during a tour stop at UC Davis.
A committed youth mentor for over a decade, Coco has coached and inspired young poets to find their voices. Under her leadership, the SAYS Youth Slam Team has excelled at the Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam, earning 3rd place nationally in 2018 and 4th place in 2023.
As a Hip-Hop Educator, Coco specializes in culturally relevant, thought-provoking workshops that empower participants to explore personal experiences as tools for transformation. Her expertise integrates elements of hip-hop into teaching, offering innovative and relatable approaches to education.
Her signature writing workshops foster healing, social change, and self-discovery. Over the years, she has facilitated impactful sessions at schools, juvenile halls, prisons, and major conferences, including the SAYS Summit, UC Davis Equity Summit, Teachers for Social Justice Conference, AERA, Teachers of Color Conference, and New Folsom Prison.
Coco’s accolades include the Sacramento Poetry Day Award, SAYS Tupac Scholar Award, UC Davis Outstanding Service in the African American Community Award, Poetry.com Editor’s Choice Award, and the Phi Beta Sigma Big Sister Award. Her poem, Explain Please, earned high praise from UC Davis Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter for its “powerful and moving” impact.
Her life philosophy is rooted in self-love and faith: Love yourself first before you lose yourself. A devoted believer in Jesus, Coco is driven to help others discover their God-given talents and walk in their purpose.
Coco’s newly released poetic memoir is a heartfelt exploration of her life’s journey, weaving personal stories and poems that chronicle how she became “Coco Blossom” and built her Queendom
Spoken Word Performances
(2024) Featured Poet. “Kings & Queens of Poetry”, Sacramento, CA
(2024) Featured Poet. “Mahogany Urban Poetry -Sacramento Poetry Week Series”, Sacramento, CA.
(2024) Featured Poet. “Rhythm & Truth Spoken Word Show, Sacramento, CA.
(2024) Featured Poet. “Intersectional Organizing, Solidarity-Building and Educational Justice ” American Educational Research Association Conference Presidential Session. Philadelphia, PA
(2024) Featured Poet. “Out the Way on J”. Sacramento, CA
(2023) Featured Poet. “The Love Hug Club”. Sacramento, CA
(2022) Featured Poet. “SAYS Showcase” Mondavi Center, Davis CA.
(2022) Featured Poet. “Foreign Native Presents Game Night”. Sacramento, CA.
(2021) Featured Poet. “The Queens Poetry Night”. Pittsburg, CA.
(2020) Featured Poet. “Outgrow the Expected” UCD. Davis, CA.
(2019) Featured Poet. “Lift Us Up, Don’t Push Us Out National Book Tour & Media Release”. Boston, MA
(2019) Featured Poet. “ Mello Monday’s” . Sacramento, CA
(2019) Featured Poet. UC Black Administrators and Counselors Conference; UC Office of the President, Davis. CA
(2019) Featured Poet. Black Women’s Staff Luncheon, Congressional Black Caucus, Sacramento, CA
(2018) SAYS Slam Coach. “Sacramento Youth Slam Team ranked 3rd International”. Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Conference, Las Vegas, NV
(2018)Featured Poet. Institute for Teachers of Color – University of Riverside, Riverside, CA
(2018) Featured Poet. “Holistic Education”. AERA (American Educational Research Association, New York, NY
(2017) Featured Poet. “Mahogany Urban Poetry Series”. Sacramento, CA
(2017) Featured Poet. “The Chancellor’s Colloquium” University of California, Davis, CA
(2016)Featured Poet. “Fall Convocation” University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
(2010) Featured Poet. “New Home Missionary Church Anniversary” Sacramento, CA.
(2009) Featured Poet. “Oakland Health Fair” City Towers. Oakland, CA.
(2009) 1st Place Winner. “Super Snake Talent Show” San Francisco, CA
(2009) Featured Poet. “Create-2-Change Rally” Richmond, CA.
(2009) Featured Poet.“Fillmore Juneteenth Festival” San Francisco, CA
(2008) Featured Poet. “Pittsburg Word” Downtown Cafe, Pittsburg CA.
Conference Presentations
(2024) Guest Panelist. “The Beauties, Tensions, and Power of Critical Hip-Hop Pedagogy”. American Educational Research Association Conference. Philadelphia, PA
(2024) Guest Panelist. “Intersectionality and Participatory Research: Combining Arts and Activism to support the Libration of BIPOC youth”.Sanford University. Palo Alto, CA
(2023) Guest Panelist. Equity Ingenuity Conference, Houston, TX
(2023) Speaker. “Living Hip-Hop Symposium”. American Educational Research Association Conference. Chicago, IL
(2022) Speaker. “Police Free Schools Panelist”. American Educational Research Association Conference. San Diego, CA
(2022) Guest Panelist. “Educational Resistance Fugitive Pedagogies”. American Educational Research Association Conference. San Diego, CA
(2022). Speaker. “The Effects of COVID on African American / Black Youth: How to Keep your Family and Children Safe, UC Davis, CA
(2020). Presenter. “Diversity Now Scholar Activism Series” Touro University, CA
(2020). Featured Speaker. “102.5 She’Rose” Sacramento, CA
(2019). Presenter. “To See the Good in Me; You Must See the Hood in Me / Write-2-Heal”. NCBS
(2019). Speaker. ‘Sacramento raised me’: Artivism and holdin’ it down for South Sac. Voices: River City Publication. https://voicesrivercity.com/2018/01/18/sacramento-raised-me-artivism-and-holdin-it-down-for-south-sac/
(2018). Presenter. “School is my Hustle”. Teachers for Social Justice Conference, San Francisco, CA
(2018). Presenter. “To See the Good in Me You Have to See the Hood in Me: Black Girl Activists and Intergenerational Justice in School”. Imagining American National Gathering, Chicago, IL
(2018). Speaker. “Write 2 Live/ SAYS” Institute for Teachers of Color – University of Riverside, Riverside, CA
(2018). Presenter. “Transfer for Life”. Collective: Aggie Transfer Weekend. Student Recruitment and Retention Center. University of California, Davis
(2018). Presenter. “Life is Living”. Youth Speaks. Oakland, CA.
(2017) Guest Speaker. “Mondavi Presents Hillary Clinton Live” Davis. CA
(2017). Presenter. “#rethinkhighschool”. Youth Session in partnership, UC Davis SAYS Summit College Day. Davis, CA
MC | Host Events
(2024) “The Art of SistaHood ft. K-love the Poet”. Sacramento, CA .
(2024) “Soul Fest: Spirit. Spoken Word: featuring STOUT. ”. Sacramento, CA
(2024) “Mahogany Urban Poetry Series, Vol. 201 Ep. 1”. Sacramento, CA
(2023) “The Art of SistaHood ft. K-love the Poet”. Sacramento, CA
(2023) “Wear a Queen Crown”. Sacramento. CA.
(2023) “#TOPOAOM”, New York, NY.
(2022) “SAYS Showcase” Mondavi Center, Davis CA.
(2020) “Sac-state Virtual Open Series” Sacramento State, CA
(2020) “Juneteenth Celebration” Black Child Legacy Campaign. Sacramento, CA
(2020) “ 4th Annual Sacramento Women’s March” Sacramento, CA
(2020-2017) “Equity Summit Social Justice Awards”. Davis, CA
(2019-2017) “Mondavi/SAYS Open-mics”. Davis, CA
(2019) “3rd Annual Sacramento Women’s March”. Sacramento, CA
(2019) “21 Reasons Healing & Collaboration Celebration”, Sacramento, CA.
(2018) “The Conversation Women’s Empowerment Conference”, Sacramento, CA.
(2018) “The Blacklight Lounge Poetry Showcase” , Sacramento CA.
(2018) “ 2nd Annual Sacramento Women’s March”. Sacramento, CA
(2011) “Microphone Monday’s” at Sol Collective. Sacramento, CA.
(2010) “SAYS Slam Season”. Sacramento, CA.
Publications/Articles
(2023). Warran, Mark, “Willful Defiance: Connecting the Arts, Liberatory Education, Research and Movement-Building”,, Volume 51 • Issue 1 • 2023 • Leadership for Racial Equity and Social Justice: Engaging Families and Communities in Educational Research, Advocacy, and Change. (Preview Here)
(2023). Sicard, Clémentine, “Alumna inspiring Sacramento youth to find their voice with poetry”, One Aggie Network (Preview Here)
(2022, November 2). A love note to Black educators: My trip to New Orleans. *Roots and Hope.* (Preview Here)
(2020). Sarah Murphy. “Arts roundup: UC Davis offers slate of fall events; Seiwert film series debuts” Special to The Bee. (Preview Here)
(2018). Hope, Jenelle, ‘Sacramento raised me’: Artivism and holdin’ it down for South Sac”, Voice River City. (Preview Here)
(2018). Brown, Michael, director. *Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook*. Disruptive Narrative,. (Preview Here)
Modeling | Acting Gigs
(2023) Fit Model. “ThirdLove”. San Francisco, CA
(2022). Voiceover. “Metro Media Production”. Sacramento, CA.
(2020). Fit Model. “MDT Agency, Inc.” San Francisco, CA.
(2020). Brand Ambassador. “Fashion Nova Curve”. Los Angeles, CA.
(2018). Featured Reader. “The Bluest Eye” casted as Pencola, UCD, Davis.CA
(2017). Actress. “We’ve Been Sentenced casted as ” Play written by Kamika. Sacramento, CA.
(2009). Impromptu Actress. “Suspect Dinner Theater casted as Main Suspect” Sacramento, CA.
(2006). Audition. “Mo’ Nique F.A.T Chance” Second Round Finalist, Los Angeles, CA.
Consultant
(2023-Present) Minty Educational Service. “Education Consultant” - To learn more about Minty visit: www.minty-es.com.
(2019-Present) People’s Think Tank. “Steering Committee Member” - To learn more about PPT visit: https://peoplesthinktank.us.
