Poetry workshop and reading by Jaki Shelton Green, March 25

Poet Jaki Shelton Green, described by the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame as “North Carolina poetry’s Billie Holiday,” was born in Alamance County and now lives in Mebane. Green received the North Carolina Award for Literature in 2003 and, in 2007, was named the inaugural North Carolina Piedmont Laureate. She visits Asheville on Saturday, March 25, for two events hosted by Word on the Street, a local organization that publishes and online arts magazine by and for teens.

Green leads a poetry workshop for teens at the Burton Street Community Street Center from 1-3 p.m. The workshop is free but space is limited — see below for info on how to register. A free reading, open to the community, follows at 3:30 p.m.

Press release:

Write for Your Life!
Building Community One Poem at a Time

Where ever poet Jaki Shelton Green travels, teaches and shares her work–she brings the belief that poetry creates a connection between people that is powerful enough to change the world. Shelton Green was inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2014 for a life time of writing and publishing award-winning poetry and for being a literary citizen in service as a community arts advocate. She invites teens to share their powerful voices during a free poetry workshop on Saturday, March 25th, 1-3 pm, at the Burton Street Community Street Center. A reading for the community by Shelton Green and local youth poets will follow at 3:30 pm with a short reception immediately after.

“What Jaki’s crazy long resume of awards and publications doesn’t get across is Jaki’s warmth, energy and insightfulness as an educator,” says Janet Hurley, with sponsor Word on the Street, an online magazine for youth, a program of Asheville Writers in the Schools and Community.”She can create a space for everyone’s voice and creativity–and be fun and inspiring at the same time.”

In addition to her many awards and journal publications, Shelton Green has published seven collections of poetry and a play: Dead on Arrival, Dead on Arrival and New Poems, Masks, Conjure Blues, singing a tree into dance, breath of the song, Blue Opal, a play. via Carolina Wren Press, and Feeding the Light via Jacar Press. She is the co-editor of two anthologies: Poets for Peace, Immigration Emigration and Diversity published by Chapel Hill Press, Inc. and serves as editor for the Jacar Press New Voices Series. Many of Shelton Greens’s poem have been choreographed by such notable dance troupes as The Chuck Davis African-American Dance Company at the Kennedy Center and The Miami City Ballet.

The Write For Your Life workshop is free but space is limited. Teens are en encouraged to register by texting 828-215-9002 or emailing info@wordonthestreemag.org. The community reading is free and open to the public.