Marcus Ellsworth

Marcus Ellsworth has lived in Chattanooga since 2001. In the years since his arrival to the Scenic City, Marcus has built a reputation as a spoken word artist and LGBTQ+ activist. He has served as President of the Tennessee Valley/Chattanooga Pride Board, advocated at the local and state levels for LGBTQ+ equality, and served as a board member and volunteer for many causes and organizations in the Chattanooga area. His writing and performances often weave deeply personal experiences with issues of equity and justice. Marcus's social commentary through poetry and prose led him to write for MTV News as a politics writer and poet in residence before returning to work in the performing arts as Artistic Managing Director of Barking Legs Theater. Today, Marcus is the Program Manager for River City Company and continues to write and perform as opportunity allows.