Deborah Mouton

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally known writer, educator, activist, and Poet Laureate Emeritus of Houston, Texas. Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Poet in the World, she was the founder of Houston VIP Slam – the longest running poetry slam venue in Houston, Texas. Currently, as the Executive Director of VIP Arts Houston, Deborah seeks to build more bridges that amplify the voices of artists in and around the nation.

Deborah’s work has appeared in Houston Noir by Akashic Press, Black Girl Magic by Haymarket Books, Fjords Journal, Crab Orchard Review, and on such platforms as NPR, BBC, ABC, Blavity, Upworthy, and TedX. A fellow with The Writer’s Hotel and The Poetry Foundation’s Poetry Incubator, D.E.E.P.’s collaborations with The Houston Ballet, The Houston Rockets, and the Houston Grand Opera have opened new doors for performance poetry. As a finalist for Texas State Poet Laureate, a Kennedy Center Citizen fellowship, and the prestigious Breadloaf Retreat, her work has been highlighted and studied in Canada, England, New Zealand, and Germany.

Deborah holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and African American Studies from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of St. Thomas.