Mbonisi Zikhali was born in Makokoba, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. His spoken word/storytelling name is Zomkhonto, which happens to be his bloodlineâs totem. He is an arts educator, youth mentor, qualified community services worker, grassroots community organizer and mental wellness advocate. He considers himself an afro-empath, and is driven to ensure that people find joy and healing in the power of words and story-telling. One of the recent publications he has appeared in include âColossus: Body â An Anthology of the Selfâ by Colossus Press (San Francisco, California 2023) which defends the rights of women to have autonomy over their bodies. His work was recently showcased at the World Poetry Slam Championshipsâ spoken word video presentations (September 26-30, 2022) in Brussels, Belgium. He is in the board of directors for Storytelling Toronto.