Poetry Champion for Bedfordshire, Debra Knight LL.B(Hons)

In 2001, Debra/Nzinga Knight, CEO of NINE RED Presents (NRP)…(CIC), took her personal struggles and transformed them into a force for good. Coming from a place of social phobia, depression, and anxiety due to experiences with domestic and sexual violence, she found solace in the sanctuary of her home. She embraced the healing power of the arts, expressing her journey through poetry, spoken word, dance, and visual art, and in doing so, she touched the hearts of many. 

 

As her popularity grew, others approached Debra, seeking her guidance in using art as a tool for healing. Thus, the philosophy of NINE RED Presents…(CIC) was born. Debra reminisces about the origin of Nine Red, a question posed to her after hearing her story of abuse, “What do you do after something like that happens?” With a smile, a laugh, and unshakeable resilience, she replied, “Get a job in a casino!”

 

NINE RED Presents…(CIC) was born from a place of unity, a place where people of different backgrounds, cultures, religions, and nationalities not only worked together but played together. A place where fun and fellowship reigned.

 

Debra Knight poetically described it as, “At the edge of a high street, by a bridge with a ball, there is a place on earth, where numbers fall…”

 

Today, NINE RED Presents… (CIC) is a celebrated, Queen’s Award-winning community interest company. It’s a vibrant collective of artists who transform spaces and change people’s lives with their thought-provoking designs and art medicine.

 

Debra is thrilled to be the Poetry Champion for Bedfordshire, promoting poetry not just as an art form but as a means to promote well-being and recovery from trauma.

 

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