"And if some day
My sons ask
'Dad, why do you climb?'
Smiling, I'll reply
I climb
So you can fly" ~
Mekael
Smiling, I'll reply
I climb
So you can fly ~
Mekael
Mekael
Coming Soon!
%20(1).jpg)
Mekael, born on October 17th 1970, was raised in the great Midwestern city of Indianapolis, Indiana. After graduating from high school, Mekael had his choice of colleges to choose from, however, he went on to
pursue a degree in Political Science, at what he
claims to be, "the greatest HBCU in the country," Central State University of Ohio.
The younger Mekael grew up surrounded by art, which opened the doors of his imagination and fueled his creativity. Mekael has said,
"I'd become reverent about creativity at
an early age. Drawn to sketching and painting,
I felt driven to create." He said, "I was the proverbial, everyday introspective child, excited about exploring the world around me, equally excited about expressing my interpretations of the world as I viewed it, both artistically and creatively."
This father, veteran soldier, anti-cancer activist, mountaineer and poet, who splits time residing in both the United States and Europe, has dedicated himself to living a life of adventure, service and exploration, hoping to "inspire others to live their lives limitlessly."
The Mountaineer
Mekael pausing while in the Himalayas.
Mekael began climbing as a way to honor his late mother's life and legacy. It was during her fight with cancer, that Mekael began pondering about how to add his voice to the global cancer fighting community. In 2007, a year after his mother passed due to complications from cancer, Mekael made his mind up, and decided that climbing mountains would be the chosen platform for him to help draw attention to the fight against cancer.
In 2008, Mekael figured that in order for him to learn from some of the best extreme altitude Mountaineers in the world, Switzerland was where he needed to be. After having relocated to the famed Alp nation, Mekael quickly found himself attached to a climb team, and in the Spring of 2009, he took part in his very first extreme altitude expedition, which happened to be on
Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain.
Mekael spent the next ten years learning as a member of a team that has embarked on exploratory expeditions that have circumnavigated the planet. From Tibet to Tanzania, Mekael's climbing experiences have taken him to some of the most beautiful, most remote and most challenging places on the earth, plying him with many lessons, blessings and a heightened sense of being, which have impacted his personal transcendence. Climbing is no longer just a pursuit rooted in the fight against cancer, it has become what Mekael refers to as,
his "passion."
The Poet
Mekael
To learn more about Mekael's poetry, visit
Mekael's introduction to poetry, came by way of his mother. When he was twelve, his mother shared a book of Langston Hughes poems with him. She specifically shared Langston's classic poem, "Mother to Son" with him. From that moment onward, his addiction to his favorite art form grew.
Having lived in Dallas, Texas during his elementary years, it was with the onset of his teenage years, that Mekael's Mom decided it was time to move the family back to Indianapolis. Mekael went on to attend the prestigious, Park Tudor School, where his wider exposure to the many forms of art, was made exponential. Mekael has often said,
"Both Park Tudor School and Central State University, heightened my love for all things creative, especially the written arts."
It was after college that Mekael began writing poetry. The author of multiple anthologies, Mekael often refers to poetry as,
his "purpose."
Connect with Mekael
Mekael is a proud member of
© Copyright Mekael Shane †Legal & Privacy† Designed by Hiram'sTrestle-Board GmbH™All Rights Reserved
