Charles Hill is a poet, facilitator, mentor, and community advocate from Aurora whose work centers around identity, voice, communication, and transformation.

Using poetry as a foundation for reflection and dialogue, Charles created M.A.D.E. — Making Advances Destroying Excuses — as a movement designed to help individuals recognize the power of their voice and align it with purposeful action.

His approach combines storytelling, guided discussion, writing, and personal development to create spaces where people are encouraged to reflect on who they are, who they want to become, and the steps needed to get there.

Rooted in authenticity and lived experience, Charles’ work emphasizes that transformation does not require people to abandon who they are, but instead challenges them to grow into the fullest version of themselves.

During his years of incarceration, poetry became an essential part of Charles’ identity — a tool that helped him process his experiences, cross language and cultural barriers, and reconnect with a deeper sense of humanity. What began as personal expression ultimately became a pathway toward healing, communication, and freedom of mind and spirit.

Through workshops, talk circles, performances, and mentorship, he continues using voice as a tool for connection, healing, growth, and empowerment.