Where Are They Now: Richey Gives Leadership at DaVerse Lounge in Deep Ellum

(Portions from Dallas Morning News)

DALLAS - Will Richey ('01) helps lead DaVerse Lounge in the Life in Deep Ellum building, a place for healing young people through spoken word, art, and music. The original performances of spoken word, art, and music by young people throughout North Texas aren't easy to describe – they're meant to be experienced.

"There's power in the spoken word," Richey stated. "DaVerse Lounge offers a sacred space for sharing that."

DaVerse Lounge, which focuses on young people but is open to all, aims to spark organic conversations about life-and-death topics and remove people's ignorance about one another. The lounge inspires you "to want to grow."

In addition to six annual performances, which draw a crowd of 700 or more from all over North Texas to Deep Ellum, Alejandro Perez Jr. (who also leads) and Richey take work on the road, including elementary schools and large corporations.

During performances at DaVerse Lounge, Richey emphasizes to the crowd, "Two important people in the room: The one who reads and the one who receives." He continues, "It's a creative, wily, weird, maturing, … and uncomfortable for people who aren't accustomed to it."

Read the full article from the Dallas Morning News by clicking here.

Richey played for the University of Dallas men's basketball team for three seasons. He was named American Southwest Conference (ASC) All-East Division Honorable Mention during the 1998-99 campaign. He was an Interdisciplinary Studies Major with a concentration in Spanish.