Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

THIS IS THE SEASON 2 FINALE OF ITTIS, THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING!

Brandon Leake is the season 15 winner of America’s Got Talent, a 7x Telly Award Winner, 1x SOVAS Award Winner, and 1x Emmy Award Winner. Brandon has been a Poetic Performer, Keynote Speaker, and Workshop leader for over a decade, traveling locations such as: New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and 42 States. Brandon has collaborated with companies such as Meta, CBS, California Hospital Association, Good Morning America, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and many others. Brandon’s use of personal narrative with his gifting in poetic prose allows him to speak not merely to crowds, but to their inner being, to connect one soul to another, to connect people to an intrinsic sense of communal humanity that is at times severely lacking in our world. Brandon Leake is a visionary, whose words, but most importantly actions reflect his love of Christ, people, and the world.

Check out Brandon's short film "Complexity":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjEuLC7Ove8

Follow Brandon on

Their Website:
https://brandonleake.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/brandon_leake_ctm
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Brandon_Leake_CTM
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/calledtomove/

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

Megan J Riedl is a nationally recognised spoken word performer, collaborative theatre-maker, expert world-builder and master facilitator. Megan was awarded Queensland Poetry’s 2021 XYZ Innovation in Spoken Word Prize, and the Bob McKinnon Memorial Prize at Clunes Booktown Poetry Slam, 2025. Megan was an Australian Poetry Slam Victorian State Finalist for three years running, and a finalist for the 2019 Melbourne Spoken Word Prize. Megan’s poetry has been commissioned by Creative City Ballarat, CresFEST, the Ballarat Greens and Let’s Talk Peace, Ballarat and was one of two chosen artists for the inaugural Seedpod Ballarat residency program with Punctum Inc.

Megan has performed spoken word across the state, from Eureka Centre to Fed Square and exhibited work from the Immigration Museum to a vending machine at Geelong Library. She has writing, directing and producing credits with independent and community theatre companies across Victoria and is a regular dramaturg and facilitator for Melbourne Writer’s Theatre. An Arts Management graduate and alumni of Leadership Ballarat’s Leaders Program 2017, Megan was the Executive Assistant for Ballarat Arts Foundation for two years and has previously held board positions with Ballarat National Theatre, Ballarat Writers Inc and Spark Theatre. Before focusing on her creative practice, Megan worked as a creative health promotion facilitator, an administrator at a circus training institution, an actor’s agency receptionist, and a Secondary school teacher. Megan lives on stolen Wadawurrung land in Ballarat, VIC, Australia, with her two children, cat Mishka and dog Mook.

Follow Megan on

Their Website:
https://www.meganjriedl.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/meganjriedl
The Ballarat Poetess Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theballaratpoetess

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

Rae White is a non-binary transgender writer, educator and zine maker. Their poetry collection "Milk Teeth" won the 2017 Arts Queensland Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize and their second poetry collection, "Exactly As I Am", was shortlisted for the 2023 Prime Minister's Literary Awards and the 2023 Judith Wright Calanthe Award in the Queensland Literary Awards.

This year, they've branched out into the world of children's picture books with their debut title, "All the Colours of the Rainbow". Their poetry has been published in Australian Poetry Journal, Cordite Poetry Review, Mianjin Quarterly, Overland, Rabbit, and many others. They're also the creative director and founder of the community poetry initiative Uplift Poetry and the founding editor of #EnbyLife, a journal for non-binary and gender diverse creatives.

Buy "All the Colours of the Rainbow" on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/4fIF8J4
Buy "Exactly As I Am" on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/4mwAhNU

Follow Rae on

Their Website:
https://raewhite.net/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rae.elliot.white

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

Nikki Viveca is a Melbourne-based multidisciplinary artist whose work spans stand-up comedy, performance poetry, theatre, dance, burlesque, and improvisation. A Latvian-Australian trans woman in her 40s, she brings a bold and unapologetically queer lens to her art, exploring themes of gender, identity, and asexuality. Nikki has won the Midsumma and Trans Poetry Slams, and her solo shows like "Asexual Healing" and "Wasp Movie" blend humour with introspection. She co-created "The Femme Commandments" and was featured in "Gender Euphoria". Active in Melbourne’s queer arts scene, Nikki is known for mixing vulnerability, wit, and rhythmic lyricism in her storytelling.

Follow Nikki on

Instagram:
⁠https://www.instagram.com/nikkiviveca
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/nikkiviveca/

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

Ravi K. Gandhi is a Canadian-Indian poet, writer, and educator, living in Ontario, Canada. He regularly performs and speaks about the power of poetry in front of audiences. He also runs workshops that integrate ideas around healing from writing, and how it may help dynamically remove stress and trauma that is stored in the body. With a growing online community, his words have captivated the hearts and minds of readers all over the world.

Buy "Hope in the Black Hole" on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/3Uh1dV3

Follow R.K. on

Their Website:
https://ravikgandhi.com/
Instagram:
⁠https://www.instagram.com/rkgandhi
Threads:
https://www.threads.com/@rkgandhi

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

Joel McKerrow is an award-winning performance poet, author, and educator, known for his raw, passionate delivery and powerful storytelling. A veteran of the global slam scene, Joel blends poetic craft with deep insight into the human condition, using words to shake, shape, and stir both stage and soul.

Buy "Heist 1: The Great Chocolate Caper" on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/44KbEVZ

Follow Joel on

Their Website:
https://www.joelmckerrow.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/joelmckerrowcreative
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/joel.mckerrow/
LinkedIn:
https://au.linkedin.com/in/joel-mckerrow-creative

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠

Neil Hilborn is a best-selling author and, with over 150 million views to his credit, he is the most-watched poet ever. He has performed in 41 states and 8 countries, and in 2019 alone he drove coast to coast five times while on tour. His favorite touring moments are: crying while meeting a wombat in Australia; spending two weeks in Edinburgh at the Fringe Festival; meeting Dionne Warwick at the Smithsonian; and putting 12,000 miles on a minivan in two months with his fellow road goblin Mark. His favorite sandwiches come from: Primanti Bros in Pittsburgh, Black’s BBQ in Austin, one specific Publix in Tampa, and a torta truck he found while stranded in Pasco, Washington. One time on stage he accidentally punched the microphone and broke his wedding ring, and thanks to years of therapy he did not interpret this as a sign. His preferred stage entrance music is “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen, during which he walks very slowly. In addition to touring and writing he runs workshops on craft, performance, and how to apologize for ignoring texts. He and his wife live on a hobby farm outside Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where they adopt too many animals.

Buy "About Time" on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/44KXLXU

Follow Neil on

Their Website:
⁠https://neilhilborn.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/neilhilborn/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/neilicorn

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School

Join the Slam Fam on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and more:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ittis⁠⁠

Check out the I Think, Therefore I Slam Merch Store:
⁠⁠https://ittis.deco-apparel.com/⁠⁠

Josh Cake has won the Peseroff Poetry Prize from the University of Massachusetts, was named the Most Impactful Poet by the Australian Enterprise Awards in both 2024 and 2025, and was named Poet of the Year 2025 by the Livewire Global Awards. Josh’s poetry publications include Breakwater Review, Teesta Review, Paris Lit Up, The Anti-Misogyny Club, and Cordite. Josh has performed at several major festivals, including Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Sonic Poetry Festival, and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Over the past year, Josh has performed poetry features in Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, Brussels, London, Edinburgh, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and New York. Josh teaches poetry and performance around the world, from universities and literary organisations to festival workshops. With distinct rhythms and hilarious observations, Josh presents a captivating and unique performance style. His writing covers a broad emotional spectrum, often evoking laughter and tears within the same piece. Josh is also an award-winning musician and comedian, and is always in search of a treat.

Follow Josh on

Their Website:⁠⁠
https://www.joshcake.com/
Instagram:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/joshcakemusic

Follow ITTIS on Instagram:
⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ithinkthereforeislampodcast⁠⁠

Find Melbourne spoken word events:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://melbournepoetry.com/⁠⁠

Podcast art by Doane Stuart School