Tanya Stephens, dancehall artiste and songwriter will deliver a public lecture at the University of the West Indies, Mona on Thursday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the Assembly Hall. Her lecture is titled, "Music, the Power To Shape Societies." Tanya Stephens’ lecture will challenge stereotypes of dancehall as a “betrayal of reggae”.  Tanya is a dancehall DJ who knows that verbal creativity is not limited to reggae as demonstrated in the song “Who is Tanya?” the DJ, describes herself as the “gyal weh come fi change di whole game wid a pen.”  In her clever lyrics, Tanya wittily demonstrates the power of the word.

The lecture is hosted by the Department of Literatures in English, UWI, Mona.  Ms. Stephens is one of the songwriters whose lyrics are studied in the Department’s course, “Reggae Poetry”.   The other prescribed poets this year are Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Steel Pulse and Buju Banton.

The public is invited to attend. For further information interested persons may telephone 927-2217.