Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa (also known as Birdspeed) is a British born Barbadian raised poet and dancer whose work chiefly encompasses both disciplines.
Safiya is a recipient of the Jerwood Arts | Apples & Snakes Poetry in Performance Programme. Her work is published in a range of journals and anthologies including: The Caribbean Writer, The Amistad, and Alter Egos (Bad Betty Press), Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal, and more. She was shortlisted for the 2020 Outspoken Page Poetry Prize and longlisted for the Performance and Film Categories.
In 2019 she won the BBC Edinburgh Fringe Slam Championships, the UK Nationals and became a BBC Word’s First finalist. She has been commissioned by notable figures and organisations including The Original Wailers and BBC Bitesize.