Tyiako (Jermane Cooper) is a mid-20's african american male living in Southern California. As a child, he was not too concerned with his heritage, but as he grew and learned of other people and their histories, he realized a significant part of who he was had turned up missing. A college Graduate with a B.A. in Literature, Jermane's work with poetry, short stories, and a novel (in progress) explores both the ideals that should be a part of every culture (acceptance, respect, honor, compassion, understanding) as well as the concepts of what 'could be' in regards to both himself and the world around him.

His work can be found at wordsmithshelf.blogspot.com.