Kinetic Affect was founded in 2007 from the fire and passion of two crazy poets. Kirk Latimer and Gabriel Giron, met in 2006 when they were both competing nationally in Slam Poetry. They immediately combined their talents and started competing as a duo which earned them national attention including an appearance on America's Got Talent and a chance to perform at the infamous Apollo Theater.
For 14 years Kirk and Gabriel performed around the nation, challenging sterotypes and inspiring hundreds of thousands of people. They performed for intimate classrooms for as little as 10 students and in front of thousands in arenas around the country taking their passion for poetry to new heights.
In 2009 they co-founded Speak It Forward, a nonprofit organization with the mission of “transforming the lives of youth and adults by using spoken-word poetry as a vehicle to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes, break down barriers and instill a sense of empowerment and community.” However, all that came to a halt in 2020 when Kirk unexpectedly passed away due to health complications...
"I never worried about stepping on stage or into a classroom with Kirk by my side. He had this confidence no matter what the odds were against us that we would make it through anything. Kirk taught me that no matter how much I planned everything out down to the last detail, it was never going to go the way I thought it would so long as he was around. Kirk taught me how to let go of how I thought things were going to go, so that I could be present. I will carry him with me in everything I do for as long as I live."
Kirk was born January 13, 1980, in Detroit, MI, the son of Terry and Donna (Middel) Latimer. He attended Western Michigan University, graduating with a B.A. in English Education in 2002, with post graduate studies in Educational Leadership and Organizational Analysis. Kirk followed his passion and life’s purpose by becoming an educator at Portage Northern High School. In 2006, he joined forces with his business partner, Gabriel Giron, forming the performance duo, Kinetic Affect. In 2009, he became co-founder and Educational Director of Speak it Forward, Inc., where he led workshops for youth in schools, treatment facilities, juvenile homes and alternative education locally and across the country.
Kirk was always and unapologetically, himself. To quote his favorite playwright, Shakespeare, “this above all: to thine own self be true.” Kirk loved words, and the English language. He was a brilliant, complex and compassionate soul who was committed to helping others. He was a man of paradox. Esoteric and focused. Compassionate and argumentative. Intense and silly. Arrogant and self-deprecating. Kirk loved Robert Frost and Wu-Tang Clan; weight-lifting and Starbursts.
Kirk was larger than life and known to jump on his students’ desks to make a point about grammar, once even falling from a two-story window in his exuberance. He made shocking, funny and spontaneous observations about life as it unfolded. His comedic timing was second to none. Blessed are those who have personal memories of one of his unpublishable comments.
Through his work, Kirk impacted hundreds of thousands of lives. Testimonials about Kirk repeatedly shine light on his ability to make others feel valued and to help them face their demons, something Kirk was constantly working on himself. He faced his fears courageously and with great humor which allowed others to do the same. Kirk challenged people to step beyond their preconceived notions of what was possible. He was a master teacher. He inspired students, artists and audiences alike to be more self-aware and adventurous. Kirk had the ability to take the trauma and difficulties he experienced and channel them into learning and a passion for helping others. He was able to intuitively understand young people and strived to make them feel seen and loved. His students knew they mattered when others in their lives had given up on them. He worked tirelessly and selflessly to make a difference and approached each workshop, performance and project as if it were his last. He was an electrifying performer often leaving audience members riveted to their seats, thrilled and breathless.
Kirk fed people both metaphorically and physically. He gave generously of his time and resources. He once arrived late at a family gathering because he had stopped to buy lunch for a homeless person. This wasn’t uncommon. Even in the early years when funding for Speak it Forward, Inc., was limited, Kirk often paid for treats and rewards for students out of his own pocket.
Kirk was most proud of being a father. Nothing brought him more joy than spending time with his son, Ethan, who was born on May 24, 2008. For Kirk, Ethan was the greatest blessing in his life. And Ethan loved spending time with his dad and said he was someone anyone would love hanging out with no matter who they were. Gabriel is Ethan's godfather and they both continue to keep Kirk's memory alive in everything they do. Kirk will never be forgotten through the stories they continue to share.
We love and miss you brother!
There's no moment like the present!