CONSULTING TEAM
CLARENCE NERO
FOUNDER
FOUNDER
Clarence Nero is the founder of Bayou Soul Youth Literary Conference.
He is an Associate Professor at Baton Rouge Community College, author and screenwriter whose accomplishments include his critically acclaimed novel, Cheekie: A Child Out of Desire nominated for ’Best Books for Young Adults,’ by the American Library Association and selected as ’One of the Best First Novels’ by Library Journal which he adapted into a screenplay and is currently in pre-production. He served as a literary consultant to help his students self-publish a book called “Voices from the Bayou” that he adapted to the stage with LSU Theater Department and he then wrote the screenplay that led to the making of the short film “Voices.” He is the writer, producer and director of the stage play, “Trauma on this Land.” In 2011, after his brother was murdered in New Orleans, he launched Bayou Soul Youth Literary Conference to empower and inspire Louisiana high school students to write and pursue higher education.
Prior to writing his first novel, he worked as a chemist in Washington, D.C.
Hailed as a “promising young writer,” by the late Dr. Maya Angelou, Clarence grew up in New Orleans' notorious Desire Housing Projects. He later attended and graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science and obtained his MFA in Creative Writing from Louisiana State University. He is also an advisor for the Creative Writing Club at Baton Rouge Community College.
He is an Associate Professor at Baton Rouge Community College, author and screenwriter whose accomplishments include his critically acclaimed novel, Cheekie: A Child Out of Desire nominated for ’Best Books for Young Adults,’ by the American Library Association and selected as ’One of the Best First Novels’ by Library Journal which he adapted into a screenplay and is currently in pre-production. He served as a literary consultant to help his students self-publish a book called “Voices from the Bayou” that he adapted to the stage with LSU Theater Department and he then wrote the screenplay that led to the making of the short film “Voices.” He is the writer, producer and director of the stage play, “Trauma on this Land.” In 2011, after his brother was murdered in New Orleans, he launched Bayou Soul Youth Literary Conference to empower and inspire Louisiana high school students to write and pursue higher education.
Prior to writing his first novel, he worked as a chemist in Washington, D.C.
Hailed as a “promising young writer,” by the late Dr. Maya Angelou, Clarence grew up in New Orleans' notorious Desire Housing Projects. He later attended and graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science and obtained his MFA in Creative Writing from Louisiana State University. He is also an advisor for the Creative Writing Club at Baton Rouge Community College.
NICOLE PORCHE
Nicole Porche is responsible for the operations of the conference. She brings more than 30 years of experience to Bayou Soul Youth Literary Conference. Her experience and leadership have been focused on developing and delivering business services and solutions providing outstanding client service and driving growth.
Nicole Porche is an American actress, voice-over instructor and film producer who has graced the small and big screen and has credits as a singer-songwriter. She has over 25 years of entertainment industry accolades in both the music and film industries. As an actress, she has appeared on several national networks including Lifetime, Spike TV and the Food Network.
Nicole's organizational structure abilities employed her the opportunity to direct the largest spa and the largest cosmetic laser companies in the United States. Nicole would go on to spearhead her own successful businesses across various industries in the retail, real estate, transportation, and tax and revenue industry.
Amongst her entrepreneurial endeavors, she is the founder and CEO of Porche Entertainment Group, an artist promotion, branding and booking agency. Porche is the co-founder of DreamHustle Entertainment Group and also co-creator of Commanders Wealth Productions where she writes, produces, directs and performs for many of the projects. These days, Nicole is also a voice-over instructor at different colleges and adult education facilities throughout the United States.
TRINESE BRUMFIELD
Trinese Brumfield is responsible for all of the conference's financial functions, including accounting, audit, treasury, and investor relations. Her career spans more than 20 years of varied experience in Fortune 500 business leadership, operational excellence, project management, billing analysis, real estate investments, talent management, casting and film production.
Trinese is a commissioned Louisiana civil law notary, certified Loan Signing Agent and owner of Notary Services of Louisiana. She is a proud member of the Louisiana Notary Association where she currently serves as Shop Talk Coordinator. She is the Managing Partner of Brumfield Courier Express, the subsidiary of Brumfield Services, a premier courier service provider. She is a business savvy entrepreneur who enjoys investing in real estate and owns multiple rental properties.
She is the co-founder of DreamHustle Entertainment Group where she manages actors, athletes, musicians and comedians. As well as collaborates with other producers and directors as a casting director to find actors for movie roles. She is also the co-creator of Commanders Wealth Productions where she writes and produces scripted and non-scripted projects.
Trinese holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Dillard University.
Trinese is a commissioned Louisiana civil law notary, certified Loan Signing Agent and owner of Notary Services of Louisiana. She is a proud member of the Louisiana Notary Association where she currently serves as Shop Talk Coordinator. She is the Managing Partner of Brumfield Courier Express, the subsidiary of Brumfield Services, a premier courier service provider. She is a business savvy entrepreneur who enjoys investing in real estate and owns multiple rental properties.
She is the co-founder of DreamHustle Entertainment Group where she manages actors, athletes, musicians and comedians. As well as collaborates with other producers and directors as a casting director to find actors for movie roles. She is also the co-creator of Commanders Wealth Productions where she writes and produces scripted and non-scripted projects.
Trinese holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Dillard University.
SHARIKA MAHDI
Sharika Mahdi is responsible for the overall look and feel of marketing, media and branding. With over 20 years of experience in the fine arts and education industries, Sharika brings tremendous creative leadership and artistic expertise to the conference.
Sharika is a visual artist, art educator, book illustrator, curator and creative entrepreneur. An alumna and current board member of the renowned Art Guild, YAYA of New Orleans, she has showcased and sold paintings throughout the world including Africa, Italy and Canada. Her first illustration was published with a book for Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center of New Orleans, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating housing discrimination throughout the greater New Orleans area through education, investigation and enforcement activities.
Two of her visual artworks are a part of the late Dr. Maya Angelou’s art collection. She is the recipient of the Ancillary Teaching Certificate in Visual Art and currently teaches art to talented grade school youth as was recognized as the 2014 Essence Festival Marketplace Imaging Artist. Most recently, Disney Imagineers commissioned Sharika to help them as they develop a new Princess Tiana attraction to replace Splash Mountain. She will create a series of four paintings based on her interpretation of Disney’s concept for the ride and has plans to launch her own written and illustrated children’s picture books about positive thinking.
Sharika holds a Master of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Visual Communication from Louisiana State University.
Sharika is a visual artist, art educator, book illustrator, curator and creative entrepreneur. An alumna and current board member of the renowned Art Guild, YAYA of New Orleans, she has showcased and sold paintings throughout the world including Africa, Italy and Canada. Her first illustration was published with a book for Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center of New Orleans, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating housing discrimination throughout the greater New Orleans area through education, investigation and enforcement activities.
Two of her visual artworks are a part of the late Dr. Maya Angelou’s art collection. She is the recipient of the Ancillary Teaching Certificate in Visual Art and currently teaches art to talented grade school youth as was recognized as the 2014 Essence Festival Marketplace Imaging Artist. Most recently, Disney Imagineers commissioned Sharika to help them as they develop a new Princess Tiana attraction to replace Splash Mountain. She will create a series of four paintings based on her interpretation of Disney’s concept for the ride and has plans to launch her own written and illustrated children’s picture books about positive thinking.
Sharika holds a Master of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Visual Communication from Louisiana State University.