Mansa Lamont Bey is a Moorish American poet and writer born, raised, and residing in southeast Cleveland, Ohio. As a community based artist, he is dedicated to using the literary arts as a means to encourage personal growth and community development. He served as a Military Police Officer for six years, and since returning home from the War in Iraq in 2003 Mansa has been committed to serving those in need.
Mansa Lamont Bey — formerly known as D.L. Ware — is a Moorish American Poet and Writer born, raised, and residing in South East Cleveland Ohio, where as a community based artist, he is dedicated to using the literary arts as a means to encourage personal growth and community development.
Enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard, he served as a Military Police Officer for six years where three of those years was on Active Duty. He served during humanitarian efforts in Nicargua. Combat support at Fort Bragg North Carolina for Operation Nobel Eagle and served one tour of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.
As a solider at war, Mansa found his love for the literary arts where he was able to escape into his daily reading habit and writing practice. From letters to his family, journaling to decompress the day, to long love letters and poems for his estranged girlfriend, writing creatively saved his life.
Since returning home from the War in Iraq in 2003, Mansa has been committed to serving those in need. Taking advantage of the Montgomery G.I. Bill, he advanced his education with the ambition to serve selflessly as a Social Worker. Honing his craft as a Poet, he kept writing daily as a form of therapy, where over the years he learned to incorporate his love of poetry into his approach towards community service, transforming his hobby into a passion as an active member of Cleveland’s Literary Arts community since 2010.
He has developed, facilitated and managed various Literary Arts focused projects, programs and activities throughout the City of Cleveland. From weekly creative writing workshops and open mics to commissioned writing projects, and artistic residencies, Mansa Lamont Bey’s love of writing has helped him learn and grow into the Literary Artist he is today.
