Poet Laureate ambassador 2023
Available for readings, workshops, presentations & ceremonies.
I’m thrilled to share the reasons why poetry is a perfect creative medium to represent the spirit, innovation, and imagination of Santa Fe. I’m in awe of how special Santa Fe is because of an illuminated communion between sky, light, people, clouds, shadow, earth, ritual, ancestry, land, time, energy, mountains, and wind, that can only be described as divine alchemy. Santa Fe is poetry.
(as past program ambassador)
My vision for the Poet Laureate program:
As past Poet Laureate Ambassador, I was honored to bring together my main passions: inspiring people, my love of Santa Fe, and sharing poetry’s unlimited potential. My vision was to create access, expression, and inspiration, for all. I believe that relevant poets and poetry can be offered in such a way that people can see familiarity in the work, and as such, can make more meaningful connections to themselves, and the world around them.
My service fulfilled a critical role in creating connections, widening literary access, and cultivating cultural equity. Each element required specific skills as a compassionate educator, an artist in organic expression, and as an adept visionary. Cultivation needs authentic care and love.
Outreach initiatives included:
* Elevating the relevance, accessibility, and prominence of poetry as an essential cultural art form, and as part of Santa Fe’s repertoire of renown cultural offerings.
* Finding creative ways to integrate poetry into everyday life, through visibility at places where people are everyday, including laundromats, grocery stores, hardware stores.
* Present a wide diversity of poetry authors, styles, perspectives, and voices, to challenge, connect, and inspire.
* Collaborating with hotels & restaurants to offer both locals and visitors poetry education and access for guest enjoyment, including workshops, poem placements on tabletops, with check-in/out materials, or to accompany guest meal checks.
* Conducting community-based poetry workshops related to inclusion and access at schools, community centers, senior centers, and after-school programs.
* Supporting the City of Santa Fe’s first responder personnel with workshops related to writing and reading poetry to help cope with trauma, and as a means for mental health and wellness.
* Embarking on multi-media poetry projects with arts organizations across disciplines such as dance, photography, visual, and graphic arts.
Appearances & Classes
10/28 – Poem presentation on the Plaza for Dia de los Muertos
10/27-29 – Letters to those who have passed writing class
10/30 – Acequia Madre Elementary School poetry workshop with 6th graders
10/31 – Gerard’s House for Grieving Families – Writing workshop for staff
11/1 – “If Not Now, When? 6 Reasons to Establish Your Why” – hosted webinar presented by Janna Lopez & BookBaby
Online Productivity Writing Lab. 60-75 minutes. Tuesdays in November. 3:30PST/6:30EST. $97
Poetry off the Pedestal – in person poetry writing, discussing & sharing workshops. FREE. Tuesdays in November. Iconik Coffee RED. 6:30-8:30pm
11/14 – New Mexico School for the Deaf – high school workshop
11/28 – Wood Gormley Elementary School. 4th Grade workshop
11/29 – Teen Center Poetry Workshop
11/30 – Santa Fe Community College – Poetry Workshop
11/30 – A Poetic Response to War & Peace: Public Reading & Workshop – 5 p.m. Santa Fe Public Library
12/6 – Teen Center Poetry & Writing Workshop
12/7 – Private Client Book Revision Retreat
12/11-12/14 – Private Client Book Revision & Production Retreat
12/20 + 12/21 – Teen Center – Poetry & Writing Workshops
12/31 – Poem Presentation for New Year’s Eve Celebration on the Plaza
1/7 – Poetry of the Pedestal – 6-week Online Poetry Class. Tuesdays. 6pm MST
1/24 – Part 1 – Santa Fe Community College – The Writing Generation Series: Reading & Hybrid writing workshop by Santa Fe Poet Laureate ambassador Janna Lopez. Free Public Event. Online. 6pm MST
1/27 – Reflections of New Mexico Through Poetry. Free. In-Person event. Santa Fe Public Library. 11am. Registration required.
1/31 – Part 2 – Santa Fe Community College – The Writing Generation Series: Reading & Hybrid workshop by Santa Fe Poet Laureate ambassador Janna Lopez. Free Public Event. Online. 6pm MST.