Panama soweto

Literary bloggers have called his work, “transformative,” and “inspiring.” JC Futrell aka Panama Soweto work has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR), The HuffingtonPost.com, and most recently as a speaker for TEDXCSU. JC Futrell is a social and political activist, also known by his stage name Panama Soweto for his internationally acclaimed spoken word poetry/performance career. In mid-2020, Denver Colorado’s St*pleton neighborhood finally voted to change its name after pressure from the BLM5280.

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The neighborhood was named after a former mayor of Denver and a known member of the kkk, Ben Stapleton. One of the names nominated to replace St*pleton was Mosley Park, after JC’s grandparents, John W. and Edna Mosley. JC quickly led a successful grassroots renaming campaign, teaching the community about his grandparents, and leading the crucial conversation about racial inequity and collective healing in Denver. John and Edna Mosley were civil rights Activists in Denver.

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They were trailblazers who, among many other noteworthy accomplishments, broke the housing barrier in Aurora, Colorado, created institutions to provide financial stability to working families, and supported Colorado school systems to ensure students got a quality education. JC believes that naming places after local African American heroes symbolizes a small step towards reconciliation and understanding.

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His deep connection to the arts and political communities afforded him unique opportunities for collaboration in his campaign efforts, leading to thousands of supporters, media coverage, and the advancement of social change. He possesses a unique cross-disciplinary perspective on dismantling systemic racism and is highly regarded as a civil rights activist, poet, hip-hop artist, educator, non-profit executive, and social justice thought leader across the country.