Shows
Durham Artist ArchiveBONUS: On Freedom with NC Poet Laureate with Jaki Shelton GreenOn July 4th, 2025 I had the honor of interviewing North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green. She is the first poet laureate of North Carolina and an amazing woman who’s dedicated her life to witnessing truth and documenting it in her poetry. When NorthStar Church of the Arts reached out for me to facilitate the conversation I was nervous to be in discussion with such an icon yet excited. I’ve been attending events at NorthStar since 2022 and it’s become a third space for me. A place where I can go and always see someone I know...2025-07-111h 30
Due SouthUNC-Chapel Hill professor Kurt Gray tackles outrage in new book; Jaki Shelton Green visits Due South to talk poetryUNC-Chapel Hill psychology and neuroscience professor Kurt Gray joins Due South co-host Leoneda Inge to talk about his book, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground. And Leoneda Inge chats with North Carolina poet laureate Jaki Shelton Green about her current work and her approach to writing.2025-01-2950 min
theforcedpivot Podcasttheforcedpivot with Jaki Shelton Green theforcedpivot welcomes Jaki Shelton Green.Jaki Shelton Green, the ninth Poet Laureate of North Carolina appointed in 2018, is the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate and reappointed in 2021 for a second term by Governor Roy Cooper. She is a 2019 Academy of American Poet Laureate Fellow, 2014 NC Literary Hall of Fame Inductee, 2009 NC Piedmont Laureate appointment, 2003 recipient of the North Carolina Award for Literature.Jaki Shelton Green teaches Documentary Poetry at Duke University Center f...2024-08-191h 28
Black Boomer Besties from BrooklynBlack Excellence Explored: NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green's Literary JourneyCan the relentless pursuit of excellence be more performative than purposeful? In the continued conversation with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, the Besties inquire about Jaki’s views on the Black Excellence archetype with the hopes and realism placed on the potential of a Kamala Harris presidency. Reflecting on her personal journey and her mother's wisdom, Jaki challenges the notion of seeking external validation and illuminates the importance of finding joy in oneself. The discussion examines the societal expectations and classism that can be pervasive within Black communities, providing a nuanced critique of what excellence means today.2024-08-0634 minBlack Boomer Besties from BrooklynA Time of Truth Telling with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton GreenWhat happens when you blend the voices of wisdom, resilience, and poetic brilliance? You get an unforgettable episode of "Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn" featuring Jaki Shelton Green, the ninth Poet Laureate of North Carolina. In this powerful conversation, Ms Shelton Green, the first African-American and third woman to hold this prestigious title, shares her journey, inspirations, and reads her evocative poem, "Daughters of this Dust." Her words set a profound tone, inviting us into a space of reflection and empowerment.Truth-telling takes center stage as the discussion turns to Kamala Harris's presidential candidacy and what it...2024-07-3032 min
Carolina Writers SpeakTonya Holy Elk, AuthorA published poet, Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing (Poetry) with an Indigenous Literature focus, an Honors Graduate from Oklahoma City University (OKCU), and obtained my Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in American Indian Studies. I serve as a selected liasion by the NC Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green, for North Carolina Native American communities.As a Native American poet and writer for more than thirty years, it is with heartfelt dedication to my cultural Native American heritage that I share my writings through artistic avenues, facilitating poetry readings and creative writing/poetry workshops in...2024-06-2325 min
The Purpose TreeJaki Shelton GreenA talk with Jaki Shelton Green, Poet Laureate of North Carolina. Jaki Shelton Green is the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate. When Governor Cooper appointed her in 2018, he 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.”
To learn more about Jaki Shelton Green and her work, visit her official website: https://jakisheltongreen.com/about-2024-05-2251 min
Carolina Calling: A Music & History PodcastNina Simone: Unraveling her Profound Legacy with Jaki Shelton GreenIn this compelling episode of Carolina Calling, host David Menconi delves into the indelible legacy of Nina Simone, an iconic figure in American music. Born in Tryon, North Carolina, Nina Simone's journey unfolds through the rich tapestry of the Jim Crow South. Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina's esteemed poet laureate, joins the conversation to explore Simone's enduring impact on African American culture and the Civil Rights Movement.Menconi shares, "One of the great voices of American song, Nina Simone was a definitive voice of 20th century American music. Her voice, music and legacy all continue to resonate...2023-12-0529 min
Lament of HopeA Glimpse Into a Life Series: Jaki Shelton GreenMy interview with Poet Laureate of North Carolina, Jaki Shelton Green, was an absolute delight. She spoke with me about loss, the artistry of writing, her childhood growing up in the South during segregation, as well as her value of balance in life. The time flew by as I listened to Jaki share a bit of her worldview with me. Jaki told me so many personal anecdotes with a soothing voice and a reflective, genuine disposition.
2023-10-311h 00
Words, Images, & WorldsWords, Images, & Worlds: Special Edition with Jaki Shelton GreenNorth Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green talks about the power and deliciousness of words, the art of crafting poetry, and the ways experiences can be shared through verse. You can read more about Green's work at https://jakisheltongreen.com/2023-08-1730 min
Here’s To Life with Tori ReidEp. 40: Jaki Shelton Green - Poet Laureate of the PeopleIn nearly six decades of work, she has mentored hundreds of authors, poets and women globally. Her poetry has appeared in African American Review, Essence Magazine, Ms. Magazine... and dozens of literary journals and lifestyle magazines. In 2003, she was the recipient of the North Carolina Award for Literature (the highest award the state can bestow for significant contributions in science, literature, fine arts, and public service). She was selected for the Forbes distinguished 2022 list, 50 Over 50, in the Lifestyle category. She is an activist and a humanist, expertly versed in the power of words to lift the spirit, and she...2023-03-2526 min
Charlotte Readers PodcastThe Kudzu Queen and How Reading Leads to PublicationIn this episode 322, we bring you The Kudzu Queen, an exciting historical novel from NC writer Mimi Herman, which has won praise from authors from David Sedaris to Lee Smith to Jill McCorkle. Mary Salisbury shares how the love of reading can lead to publication. And we've got book recommendations, writing advice from Charlotte Lit, and more!
Today’s Featured Authors:
Mimi Herman Time Stamp: 4:50
North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green calls The Kudzu Queen “absorbing, nuanced, and as layered as the characters who inhabit it.” New York Times bestselling novelist Lee Smith says t...2023-01-1757 min
27 ViewsEpisode 6: Feasting on Words with Jaki Shelton GreenAn autobiography told through food: North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green knows food. Long before the farm-to-table movement took hold in popular culture, the garden was a rite of summer for families everywhere. Jaki's family was no exception. As soon as the garden “came in,” they would spring into action—pick, snap, shuck, peel, rinse, freeze, stew, preserve. At a young age, Jaki learned the power of food, its poetry, its eloquence, its ability to heal, to express love, to comfort. In her essay “Singing Tables,” from The Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food, Green tells her life story...2022-10-2520 min
Bookaholic | Author Interviews | Book Reviews | Book NewsJaki Shelton Green, NC Poet Laureate - Episode 9Bookaholics Podcast presents and celebrates Black History Month with Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green. Let's remind ourselves about how important our ancestors' contributions are and discuss how we see the ordinariness of poetry.
00:00:45 Introducing Jaki Shelton Green.
00:06:23 Poetry
00:08:49 Things that turn my light on.
00:13:50 Who is Jaki Shelton Green?
00:17:53 How Jaki Shelton became a Poet
00:22:23 Poet Laureate
00:28:20 Described Poetry Style
00:32:34 Younger People in the industry
00:37:57 Dead on Arrival by Jaki Shelton
00:42:00 Jaki Shelton's own poetry insight
00:46:55 Jaki Shelton's poem for her grandmother
00:49:32 Upcoming events
Check out Jaki Shelton Green’s Social Media
2022-02-1455 min
Los Angeles Public Library's Poems on AirEpisode 46: Jaki Shelton GreenLos Angeles Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson reads Jaki Shelton Green's poem "i know the grandmother one had hands."2022-02-1003 min
Politics and PoetryPolitics & Poetry Episode 5 ~ Part 2: Jaki Shelton GreenWe're excited to launch our fifth episode of Politics & Poetry, with a special part two of our interview with Jaki Shelton Green, the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate. Join in our conversation as Jaki shares her thoughts on the role of poetry as an art that "brings us joy and helps us to remember our tremendous connections to our humanity." To learn more about Jaki Shelton Green visit: https://jakisheltongreen.comReferencesAmen, John. June 18, 2020. "J...2022-01-1754 minPolitics and PoetryPolitics & Poetry Episode 5 ~ Part 1: Jaki Shelton GreenWe're excited to launch our fifth episode of Politics & Poetry. In this month's episode, we are honored to interview Jaki Shelton Green, the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate. Join in our conversation as Jaki shares her thoughts on the role of poetry as an art that "brings us joy and helps us to remember our tremendous connections to our humanity." To learn more about Jaki Shelton Green visit: https://jakisheltongreen.comReferencesAmen, Jo...2021-11-2451 minPolitics and PoetryPolitics & Poetry Episode 4: Role of the Poet LaureateWe're excited to launch our fourth episode of Politics & Poetry, where we work to understand the opportunities for poetry to serve as a bridge between policy and purpose, and as James Dickey, U.S. Poet Laureate and writer of acclaimed novel, Deliverance, shared, "The goal of the poet is to make the world more available.” In this month's episode, we’re exploring the role of the Poet Laureate. Jaki Shelton Green: https://jakisheltongreen.com/Joy Harjo: https://www.joyharjo.comBobby LeFebre: ht...2021-10-1634 minCharlotte Readers PodcastKhalisa Rae’s Collection “Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat” Summons Ghosts of Ancestral PainIn this episode 241, we visit with Khalisa Rae, author of “Ghosts in a Black Girl’s Throat,” a vivid collection of poems that explore Black pain, agency, reclamation, and the ghosts—past and present—that haunt them.
Jaki Shelton Green, author of “I Want to Undie You,” had this to say about the book, “If storytelling in the griot's hands is a form of resistance, then Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat is a form of control. Khalisa Rae's poetics are unbreakable glass knives that own uncharted and unmarked underground burrows, providing refuge for righteous indignation… This powerful collection bears w...2021-09-0338 min
UncivilizedNC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green To Speak In SalisburyThe time of political politeness has come and gone, says Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s poet laureate. “It’s time to tell the truth about who we are as Black and White people in the United States. It’s time,” she says. Audible Plus, a brand new all-you-can-listen membership that offers access to thousands of titles, including a vast array of audiobooks, podcasts and originals that span genres, lengths, and formats. Try free for 30 days: https://amzn.to/3zNpshv--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/a...2021-07-2909 min
UncivilizedNC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green To Speak In SalisburyThe time of political politeness has come and gone, says Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s poet laureate. “It’s time to tell the truth about who we are as Black and White people in the United States. It’s time,” she says. Audible Plus, a brand new all-you-can-listen membership that offers access to thousands of titles, including a vast array of audiobooks, podcasts and originals that span genres, lengths, and formats. Try free for 30 days: https://amzn.to/3zNpshv
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This episode is sponsored by
· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
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Send in a voice...2021-07-2909 min
Coastal Youth MediaWhere I Come From | Carteret County: Part 3Welcome to Where I Come From. We are a group of young women going on a journey about our lives in Carteret County, North Carolina. We documented our process, and today we're hosting Wilmington, North Carolina spoken word poet Brittani Smith. Smith will perform and give us tips for our own writing. We'll also recite and discuss North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green's 'Paper Dolls'.Where I Come From is a project of Coastal Youth Media in collaboration with I Am Her in Beaufort, North Carolina. This project is funded in part by a grant from th...2021-05-2705 min
The Urban Parle'Heart to Heart; An intimate interview with the NC Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton GreenApril is National Poetry Month and to celebrate, who better to have as a guest on the Urban Parle' Podcast, than the North Carolina Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green. Mrs. Green has made history by becoming the 1st African American to be appointed in North Carolina. With an incredibly impressive career spanning over 40 years of literary genius, she has made a global impact traveling around the world and teaching others how to express their writer's voice through the art of poetry. In this special episode, I got to digitally sit at the feet of Mrs...2021-04-0845 min
Mark Reads to YouGreen: for grandmafor grandma by Jaki Shelton Green, poet laureate of North Carolina.2020-11-1300 min
Exploring Next Generation EducationA Conversation with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton GreenAs educators are confronted with the pandemic and renewed focus on racial injustices, we are being called on to think differently about how we serve students. Can we use this crisis context to think futuristically about how to meet the needs of each learner? Dr. Hiller Spires’ interview with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green will feature the story of the creation of Green’s soulful poem “Oh My Brother” and the accompanying multimedia presentation related to the murder of George Floyd and our country’s ongoing racial injustice. Additionally, Green will discuss the current moment in our history an...2020-11-1059 min
Artist Soapbox * Audio fiction + Creative ProcessOffering stillness and kindred support. A conversation with NC Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green“And this is one of those times where I feel like I need to give myself permission to stand still, looking from one side to the other,… Read more"131: Stillness and kindred support. A conversation with NC Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green"The post 131: Stillness and kindred support. A conversation with NC Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green appeared first on Artist Soapbox.2020-11-0245 min
The Thing About AgingPodcast 12 Jaki Shelton GreenNC Poet Laureate talks about her muse, school desegregation in the 1960's, how her relationship with death changed, sensuality sexuality & love, being Grandmother in the community, her role as Laureate, how to establish your worth... "I want to write her rich." And she Does!2020-09-2600 min
The Watt From Pedro Show2020-06-22 The Watt from Pedro Showhour one:
"off minor" (take 5) john coltrane w/thelonious monk
"I know the grandmother one had hands" (live) jaki shelton green
"a litany for the possessed" jaki shelton green featuring shirlette ammons
"the sun" alice coltrane
"sahara hotel" pat ruthensmear
"oh the moon" mayya
"silently" ksolita
"secret life" ill
"improvised piece at 'savage weekend' 2019" (live) andrea pensado
"djinn" jaki shelton green
hour two:
"letter from the other daughter of the confederacy" jaki shelton green
"golden girl" barry berko band
"level or square" dan clucas / jeb bishop / damon smith / matt crane
"I wanted to ask the trees" jaki shelton green
"the...2020-06-223h 00
In the TellingEpisode 4: Speaking Through EdithThis weeks episode features Alexis Pauline Gumbs, a community-cherished writer, a queer Black feminist scholar and an aspirational cousin to you and everyone you know. Alexis is the author of Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugitivity (Duke Press, 2016), M Archive: After the End of the World (Duke Press 2018) and Dub: Finding Ceremony (Duke Press, 2020). She is also the co-editor of Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front Lines (PM Press, 2016). The Anguilla Literary Festival called Alexis "The Pride of Anguilla." A Publisher's Weekly starred review of her most recent book called her work "groundbreaking." Bitch Magazine calls Alexis "a literary treasure." No...2020-03-1231 min
How to Survive the End of the WorldGuest Podcast: Decolonizing the CroneNorth Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green drops blessings like ripe mango into our laps. Walls breathe a heavy sigh of relief as she shreds the puny narratives we have about who we are and our power to reanimate and reclaim our medicine... our magic. She calls forth specters who resemble our own shadows and reminds us that we can, that we have no choice but to reknit ourselves back together with the medicine that never left us. It sits at the back of our throats waiting for release. It burns. It illuminates.
She says...
“Medicine is dark and thick li...2020-02-1955 min
Arts Across NCCreativity is Medicine: A Conversation With N.C. Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton GreenToday, February 18, 2020, marks the one-year anniversary of the official induction of Jaki Shelton Green as North Carolina’s first African American poet laureate.
In this episode of Arts Across NC, host Sandra Davidson interviews Jaki Shelton Green about her time as our state’s ninth poet laureate. During the show Jaki discusses the impact and public reception of her historic appointment and reflects on her experiences meeting countless North Carolinians during her tenure as poet laureate.
Born and raised in Efland, North Carolina, Jaki Shelton Green has been active in our state’s literary and teaching community for more than 40 years...2020-02-1844 min
BPR News ExtendedExtended Interview: 'Art Helps Us Meet In The Middle,' Says NC Poet Laureate Blue Ridge Public Radio's Lilly Knoepp sat down with North Carolina's Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green after she visited Western Carolina University writing students . Shelton Green talked about how she views her work as a part of Southern Literature, why poetry is important and where real change happens. Here are some key parts of the conversation. How people should be introduced: "I believe in the philosophy that what we keep, keeps us. So I ask people to introduce themselves by way of an object, a memory, a place or something special that they keep. And as we go around the...2019-11-0125 min
Black Girl's Guide to Surviving MenopauseGifts From The Oracle: The Muse and The MedicineNorth Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green drops blessings like ripe mango into our laps. Walls breathe a heavy sighs of relief as she shreds the puny narratives we have about who we are and our power to reanimate and reclaim our medicine... our magic. She calls forth specters who resemble our own shadows and reminds us that we can, that we have no choice but to reknit ourselves back together with the medicine that never left us. It sits at the back of our throats waiting for release. It burns. It illuminates.
She says...
“Medicine is dark and thick li...2019-10-1655 min
Education MattersEpisode 70 - Teens, Social Media and Fake NewsThe phrase "fake news" was declared the official Collins Dictionary Word of the Year for 2017. Nearly 1 in 4 Americans visited a fake news site in the month leading up to the 2016 presidential election. With technology and social media becoming nearly a ubiquitous part of our children’s lives, what do parents and educators need to know to help students navigate this new media landscape? Also on this week’s show, we introduce you to North Carolina’s new Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green.
Guests:
• Dr. Adria Shipp Dunbar, Assistant Professor, College of Education, NC State University
• Dr. Meghan Manfra, Associate Professor, College of...2018-08-0424 min
Education MattersEpisode 70 - Teens, Social Media and Fake NewsThe phrase "fake news" was declared the official Collins Dictionary Word of the Year for 2017. Nearly 1 in 4 Americans visited a fake news site in the month leading up to the 2016 presidential election. With technology and social media becoming nearly a ubiquitous part of our children’s lives, what do parents and educators need to know to help students navigate this new media landscape? Also on this week’s show, we introduce you to North Carolina’s new Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green.
Guests:
• Dr. Adria Shipp Dunbar, Assistant Professor, College of Education, NC State University
• Dr. Meghan Manfra, Associate Professor, College of...2018-08-0424 min
Meacham Writers' WorkshopBiography for Jaki Shelton Green2017-10-2700 minMeacham Writers' WorkshopJaki Shelton Green ReadingReading at Chattanooga State Community College2017-10-2700 min