47 min
EPISODE 8 ASHLEY M. JONES: Do African-Americans need reparations? Black Woman's Renaissance
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- Personal Journals
Black Woman’s Renaissance
A podcast about women of color who are stepping outside the bounds of the American caste system we were relegated to. Today in every genre a record number of black women are accomplishing tasks that were believed impossible for us in spite of walls built to keep us out.
Welcome family to Black Women’s Renaissance.
I am your host, Dr. Violet T. Adams, Educator, speaker, writer, artist, all things woman, and creator of Black Woman’s Renaissance.
Today’s co-host is educator, author, publisher, and Editor-In-Chief of Vision & Purpose Life Style Magazine, Dr. Sharon H. Porter.
Introduce yourself Dr. Sharon
Thank you Dr. Adams. I am a lifelong educator (almost 30 years). I am currently an elementary school principal in the Washington DC metropolitan area. I am CEO Perfect Time SHP book publishing and owner and Editor-in Chief of Vision & Purpose Life Style Magazine, which is a bi monthly print and digital publication
Today Black Woman Renaissance will honor Ms. Ashley M. Jones, Alabama's new poet laureate. She became the first person of color and at 31 years old is the youngest poet ever appointed to the role.
(Bio)
Her prestigious award was announced Friday September 10, at the Magic City Poetry Festival of which Ashley was the founder. According to the release, Jones received the commendation during a Sunday meeting that was part of the Alabama Writers Cooperative’s yearly conference.
Being the brainchild of Jones, Magic City Poetry Festival debuted on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at the Naked Art Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the last 2 festivals were held on zoom with the most recent one being held on April 3 of 2021. The Magic City Poetry Festival offers local poets, writers, and readers a venue for iconic expression.
At the tender age of four, this visionary dreamed of being a state poet laureate, a U.S. poet laureate, and a Nobel laureate. She began preparing for these goals at Epic Elementary School of Birmingham, Alabama where she chose a poem about Harriet Tubman to recite for her second grade assignment. This experience identified her life’s purpose as she began writing poetry.
With Her first goal being realized, an Alabama’s state poet laureate, Ashley is required to serve as “the ambassador of poetry for the state,” Her activities include touring the state “to make appearances at schools, universities, libraries and other state institutions, as well as give lectures, read poetry and hold workshops on a local and national level.” Now that she is selected, as a poet laureate she will be officially confirmed by the governor for a four-year term.
In the statement released by the festival, Ashley mused, “I’m so honored to serve my home state as an ambassador, advocate, and as a lover of poetry and all the people who write it, read it, and find new magic from it in this life. I have dedicated my life so far to making poetry accessible to all, to celebrating everyone’s voice, and working to eliminate gatekeeping in our industry. I’m so excited to spend the next four years helping to make Alabama poets and poetry radiate here at home and beyond.”
In addition to being the founder of the Magic City Poetry Festival she is a member of the Alabama Writers Cooperative, the Alabama Writers Forum and PEN Birmingham She serves as a member of the creative writing faculty at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and is a core faculty at the Converse College.
These are the reasons why we honor Alabama’s first Black Poet laureate, Ms. Ashley M. Jones, Our Black Woman of Renaissance.
KEEPING IT REAL:
Jones is honored, but says she has a long-standing love-hate relationship with Alabama and her hometown of Birmingham.
Can you relate Sharon?
Yes, I really can. I was born and raised in North Carolina. My love is deep for my home state, but there are certain events and actions that often have me questioning the intent
Black Woman’s Renaissance
A podcast about women of color who are stepping outside the bounds of the American caste system we were relegated to. Today in every genre a record number of black women are accomplishing tasks that were believed impossible for us in spite of walls built to keep us out.
Welcome family to Black Women’s Renaissance.
I am your host, Dr. Violet T. Adams, Educator, speaker, writer, artist, all things woman, and creator of Black Woman’s Renaissance.
Today’s co-host is educator, author, publisher, and Editor-In-Chief of Vision & Purpose Life Style Magazine, Dr. Sharon H. Porter.
Introduce yourself Dr. Sharon
Thank you Dr. Adams. I am a lifelong educator (almost 30 years). I am currently an elementary school principal in the Washington DC metropolitan area. I am CEO Perfect Time SHP book publishing and owner and Editor-in Chief of Vision & Purpose Life Style Magazine, which is a bi monthly print and digital publication
Today Black Woman Renaissance will honor Ms. Ashley M. Jones, Alabama's new poet laureate. She became the first person of color and at 31 years old is the youngest poet ever appointed to the role.
(Bio)
Her prestigious award was announced Friday September 10, at the Magic City Poetry Festival of which Ashley was the founder. According to the release, Jones received the commendation during a Sunday meeting that was part of the Alabama Writers Cooperative’s yearly conference.
Being the brainchild of Jones, Magic City Poetry Festival debuted on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at the Naked Art Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the last 2 festivals were held on zoom with the most recent one being held on April 3 of 2021. The Magic City Poetry Festival offers local poets, writers, and readers a venue for iconic expression.
At the tender age of four, this visionary dreamed of being a state poet laureate, a U.S. poet laureate, and a Nobel laureate. She began preparing for these goals at Epic Elementary School of Birmingham, Alabama where she chose a poem about Harriet Tubman to recite for her second grade assignment. This experience identified her life’s purpose as she began writing poetry.
With Her first goal being realized, an Alabama’s state poet laureate, Ashley is required to serve as “the ambassador of poetry for the state,” Her activities include touring the state “to make appearances at schools, universities, libraries and other state institutions, as well as give lectures, read poetry and hold workshops on a local and national level.” Now that she is selected, as a poet laureate she will be officially confirmed by the governor for a four-year term.
In the statement released by the festival, Ashley mused, “I’m so honored to serve my home state as an ambassador, advocate, and as a lover of poetry and all the people who write it, read it, and find new magic from it in this life. I have dedicated my life so far to making poetry accessible to all, to celebrating everyone’s voice, and working to eliminate gatekeeping in our industry. I’m so excited to spend the next four years helping to make Alabama poets and poetry radiate here at home and beyond.”
In addition to being the founder of the Magic City Poetry Festival she is a member of the Alabama Writers Cooperative, the Alabama Writers Forum and PEN Birmingham She serves as a member of the creative writing faculty at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and is a core faculty at the Converse College.
These are the reasons why we honor Alabama’s first Black Poet laureate, Ms. Ashley M. Jones, Our Black Woman of Renaissance.
KEEPING IT REAL:
Jones is honored, but says she has a long-standing love-hate relationship with Alabama and her hometown of Birmingham.
Can you relate Sharon?
Yes, I really can. I was born and raised in North Carolina. My love is deep for my home state, but there are certain events and actions that often have me questioning the intent
47 min