By John Sande

Meet Ms. Rachel Stephanie Akinyi, popularly known as Spontaneous The Poet, a multi-award winning spoken word artist, a creative entrepreneur, an artivist, an advisory board member at International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), and currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Communication Studies at USIU-Africa.

Ms. Akinyi found her voice as an artist during her early study life back in 1998 where she did her first recital. She crafted her first poem for a music festival competition in 2008 and got introduced to Spoken Word in 2013. In 2015, Ms. Akinyi not only ventured into performance poetry professionally, but also co-founded the Anika Initiative, a ground-breaking art-based movement that amplify underrepresented voices. Embracing the mantra ‘live life, love love,’ she has, for the past decade, had the privilege of transforming audiences, building conversations and inspiring positive action through performances and curation of events. As an active member of PAWA 254 and Poetry After Lunch (PAL), she continues to shape poetry as a tool for change.

Ms. Akinyi is known for her impactful work in artivism, blending music and poetry as a spoken word artist. Her storytelling poetry, rooted in lived experiences and societal issues, incorporates elements like imagery, rhythm, metaphor, and more. Informed by in-depth research, her work serves as a call to action, resonating with sounds and audience engagement. Fascinated by the profound influence of life choices, Ms. Akinyi explores how scars can bring healing to those around us. Her pieces, driven by divine influence, draw parallels between the physical and spiritual realms, seeking to inspire reflection and action. Ultimately, her artistic goal is to bring healing and drive positive change in human rights, gender equality, and good governance.

Beyond her artistic prowess, Spontaneous the Poet wears many hats including that of a judge, facilitator, and voice-over artist. As a Human Trafficking prevention advocate and social media strategist since 2016, her platforms serve as catalysts for impactful transformation. Her global commitment to art education shines through mentorship programs and workshops. As the visionary behind the Female Poets Kenya initiative (2023), she presently spearheads the On The Spot mentorship program and art therapy sessions, showcasing her dedication to nurturing artistic talent and promoting positive wellness. With a decade-long career, she has had the privilege of transforming audiences, building conversations and inspiring positive action through performances and curation of events.

Honored with prestigious awards such as the Forum CIV Gender Equality award (2025) and most recently a speaker opportunity at Forbes Africa leading women summit (2025), Spontaneous the Poet is not just an artist, she is a movement!

Connect with Ms. Akinyi as Spontaneous The Poet on her various platforms:

• Spontaneous The Poet - https://linktr.ee/spontaneousthepoet
• Instagram: Spontaneous_tree_House (https://www.instagram.com/spontaneous_the_poet)
• X: @Spontaneousray
• Website: Spontaneous The Poet (https://spontaneousthepoet.mystrikingly.com)
• Email: poetspontaneous@gmail.com