STEVEN T. LICARDI

          Raised amid the vibrant and complicated Long Island arts scene, Steven T. Licardi (The Sven-Bo!) has expanded his stomping grounds to Manhattan, Los Angeles, and abroad. His stage presence has become widely known for its positivity, energy, and his powerful use of spoken word poetry to raise awareness of many social justice issues. He discovered visual art as a means of coping with a childhood diagnosis of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), an Autism Spectrum Disorder that entailed his emotional state maturing at a slower rate than his mental state. This meant he could not emotionally comprehend his own thoughts. Art, and consequently writing, provided him with a way to express himself emotionally - So he could better understand himself and his place in the world. This experience has imparted his work with a unique perspective that he utilizes to advocate for basic human rights. As a Licensed Social Worker, Steven has worked with many at-risk populations: Veterans, the elderly, individuals with mental illness, LGBTQ*, the homeless, individuals with developmental disabilities, inner-city youth, civil rights leaders, and others. He graduated with honors from Stony Brook University in 2013 with a B.A. in Psychology & Philosophy. He returned to complete his Masters in Social Work in 2016. More than just a poet, Steven is a philosopher who tries to exemplify in every endeavor two key concepts he lives his life by: Love & Beauty. He is currently the administrator of the blog Cross My Heart And Hope To Write, which explores the absurd and often curious nature of the human condition.