Nehassaiu deGannes was born in Trinidad & Tobago, grew up in Canada and spent time in the Middle East with her family. She studied English Lit at McGill (BA), African American Studies at Temple (MA), earned an MFA in Literary Arts (Poetry) at Brown, where she also uncovered a parallel passion for acting, and went on to train professionally at Trinity Rep Conservatory. Nehassaiu now acts Off-Broadway, regionally and internationally. Her writing has appeared in American Poetry Review, Callaloo, The Caribbean Writer, Poem/Memoir/Story, as well as two-award winning chapbooks, Percussion, Salt & Honey (Philbrick Prize,) and Undressing The River (Center For Book Arts National Award.) Recipient of fellowships from Cave Canem, Vermont Studio Center, Community of Writers, Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and The James Michener Caribbean Writers Institute, Nehassaiu has taught at RISD, Goddard, Rhode Island College and, most recently, Princeton. She has been recognized with a Wall Street Journal national citation and a Berkshire Theatre Critics Award for her outstanding work as an actor. Nehassaiu lives in Brooklyn, New York.