Shirley May

Shirley May is a Visiting Professor at the Manchester Metropolitan University, affiliated with the School of English. She directs the Young Identity writing collective, focusing on youth mentorship (ages 13-25) in partnership with Contact Theatre and supported by Lottery Funding. Her work centers on empowering young voices through performance poetry and literary accessibility, with a career spanning 18 years of organizing events like Speakeasy and One Mic Stand. She collaborates with poets such as Lemn Sissay, Kei Miller, and Kae Tempest.

• Biography: Performed internationally at Nuyorican Poets Cafe (New York) and Calabash Festival (Jamaica)
• Role: Motivational speaker, mentor, and poet
• Location: 5.03 Grosvenor East Building