Shirley LeFlore is one of St. Louis' most influential performance art poets. Before she became a board member for Word In Motion, she split her time between performances in New York City and teaching creative writing at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. One of the premiere women's voices in St. Louis, Shirley has been a part of many underground activists poetry organizations including the Black Artists' Group and Harmony. A book of her poetry is scheduled for release, and she has received the Warrior Poet Award.