Known professionally as RheaSunshine, Rhea Carmon has spent more than 20 years writing and performing spoken-word poetry throughout Tennessee and beyond. A Knoxville native and former Poet Laureate of the City of Knoxville, she is an award-winning poet, educator, author, and performer whose work has inspired audiences through performances, workshops, festivals, and community programs.

Carmon serves as a Mathematics Instructor at the University of Tennessee and is a doctoral candidate in Children’s and Young Adult Literature. She is also a Tennessee Teaching Artist and the founder and Executive Director of The 5th Woman Cohort, a poetry and performance collective dedicated to amplifying stories and creating opportunities for artists to share their voices.

A longtime friend and collaborator of the KSO, Carmon will contribute original poetry, narration, and artistic projects across performances, educational programs, and community events.