jaki shelton green
NORTH CAROLINA’S POET LAUREATE
Jaki Shelton Green is the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate. When he appointed her in 2018, Governor Cooper stated that “Jaki Shelton Green brings a deep appreciation of our state’s diverse communities to her role as an ambassador of North Carolina literature. Jaki’s appointment is a wonderful new chapter in North Carolina’s rich literary history.”
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Filmed Presentation of The River Speaks of Thirst!
http://www.thejusticetheaterproject.org/the-river-speaks-of-thirst
On Sale Now For Instant Viewing!
The Justice Theater Project is proud and honored to present The River Speaks of Thirst, a collection of audio poems written by Jaki Shelton Green documenting the real experiences of African American people past and present. In this unique production, each poem is a separate story/vignette using various mediums including music, dance, song, and dramatic interpretations to illustrate themes ranging from race, oppression, emancipation, religion, and grief. Director and Choreographer Kristi V. Johnson explains her vision, “As I listened to each poem, there wasn’t one that did not connect with some aspect of my upbringing as an African American woman growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Additionally, the poems about the young black men who died from police brutality reminded me of the anger, fear, and pain I feel as a mother of a young, brown boy. After speaking with Jaki, there were so many commonalities in our backgrounds, these stories became personal for me as well. Once I was able to draw connections between the material and my personal life, I intended to create a symbiotic relationship between the music, text, and movement that clearly illustrates the various themes within the work to enhance its accessibility for all audience members.”
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Jaki Shelton Green is the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate. When he appointed her in 2018, Governor Cooper stated that “Jaki Shelton Green brings a deep appreciation of our state’s diverse communities to her role as an ambassador of North Carolina literature. Jaki’s appointment is a wonderful new chapter in North Carolina’s rich literary history.”