Our Minds, Our Voices Woman Of Distinction 2019 Honoree: Jaki Shelton Green
Durham, NC – On March 2nd, The Aura Galleria will recognize Jaki Shelton Green as a “Woman of Distinction” for her work in the field of humanities at its third annual “Our Minds, Our Voices” event on March 2nd. This powerful awards luncheon, in observance of National Women’s History Month, will honor ten influential and phenomenal women in the categories of education, medicine, social justice, civil service, public service, technology, mental health, business, humanities and fashion and beauty.
Jaki Shelton Green is the North Carolina Poet Laureate and is currently teaching Documentary Poetry at Duke University Center for Documentary Studies. Over the past forty years, she has taught poetry and facilitated creative writing classes extensively at public libraries, universities and community colleges, public/private schools, and literary organizations such as the NC Writer’s Network, NC Poetry Society, Bates College Multicultural Studies Program, University of Wisconsin, Texas A&M, University of Santa Barbara, Rutgers University, St John’s University, The Christ School, St. Andrews University, Barton College, Chatham County Arts Council, The George School, Department of Cultural Resources for Brazil, and NC Turkish Association.
As a creativity coach, she has facilitated workshops and trainings throughout the U.S, Europe, Caribbean Islands, Central and South America. In 2006 she was awarded a residency at The Taller Portobelo Artist Colony in historic Portobelo Panama and addressed the Congress of Diaspora Conference at the University of Panama, Carlow University MFA Program, visiting writer.
In 2013 Green was the featured commentator and creative advisor for GRITS Anthology (Girls Raised in the South) and final judge for the distinguished Lucille Clifton Poetry Award, Back Bone Press. Additionally, she judges poetry for schools, anthologies, and celebrated prizes such as the Julie Suk Poetry Award, NC Poetry Society, The Nazim Hikmet Poetry Festival, NC Poetry Out Loud, NC Emerging Artist Grant Judge, and SC Commission on the Arts Literature Panel Judge. She serves on the advisory boards of the Salem College Women Writer’s Center and Back Bone Press. In 2016 Green was invited to moderate a panel on Harlem Renaissance Poet Anne Spencer’s Life and Preservation of the Historic Anne Spencer House Museum for Split this Rock Poetry Festival in Washington, DC.
As community arts advocate, she creates and facilitates programs that serve diverse audiences and populations: Upward Bound Programs, incarcerated, homeless, chronically and mentally ill, domestic violence, rape, and incest survivors, elderly, public and private schools, teachers, hospice care providers, substance abuse counselors, literacy programs, libraries, universities, humanities councils, immigrants, community economic development, and social justice nonprofits.
Her poetry has been widely choreographed by numerous dance companies including Danca Nova at Colorado Naropa Institute for the Arts, The Chuck Davis African-American Dance Company at the Kennedy Center, Miami City Ballet, Two Near the Edge, Choreo Dance, Murmurations Dance Company, and the Duke University Dance Department.
Jaki Shelton Green is the owner of SistaWRITE providing writing retreats and travel excursions for women writers based in North Carolina and Morocco.
This year’s “Woman of Influence” is the media pioneer Cathy Hughes, an African-American entrepreneur, radio and television personality and business executive. Hughes founded the media company Radio One (now known as Urban One), and when the company went public in 1999, she became the first African-American woman to head a publicly traded corporation. In the 1970s, Hughes created the urban radio format called “The Quiet Storm” on Howard University’s radio station WHUR with disc jockey and fellow Howard student Melvin Lindsay.
On Saturday, March 2, 2019, this electrifying event is expected to draw 300 women and men of all ages and ethnicities to the JB Duke Hotel, 230 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708. The day begins at 9:00am with the Our Minds, Our Voices Women’s Expo, a vendor showcase of fine wears (clothing and accessories) and corporate sponsors with consumer products and services. The Women’s Expo is free to the public.
Ballroom doors will open at 11am for the Our Minds, Our Voices awards luncheon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.thearuagalleria.com, by phone 919.419.9868 or visit the Aura Galleria at 3742 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707.