Joy Har­jo, the 23rd Poet Lau­re­ate of the Unit­ed States, will share her poetry, story-telling, and tales of personal activism with a San Joaquin Valley Town Hall audience on Wednesday morning.

The title of her talk is “Beyond Words: A Poetic Resonance”

Harjo was born on May 9, 1951 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The first of four children, her birth name was Joy Foster, but she later changed her name to “Harjo,” her Mvskoke grandmother’s family name.

Her father was a Muscogee Creek citizen whose mother came from a line of respected warriors, and speakers who served the Muscogee Nation in the House of Warriors.

Joy’s great-great grandfather was a famous leader, Monahwee, in the Red Stick War against President Andrew Jackson in the 1800s. Harjo’s mother was a waitress of mixed Cherokee, Irish, and French descent.

Growing up, Harjo was surrounded by artists and musicians, but she did not know any poets. Her mother wrote songs and her grandmother and her aunt were both artists. These influential women inspired Harjo to explore her creative side. Harjo recalls that the very first poem she wrote was in eighth grade.

About Town Hall

Tickets for the event are $60 and can be purchased here.

San Joaquin Valley Town Hall is a nonprofit operated by an all-volunteer board of directors. The organization works to provide thought-provoking and educational events, bringing national and international speakers to the Valley.

You can view the lineup of future speakers at this link. Jane Fonda will cap the season on April 16 at the Saroyan Theatre.

GV Wire is a sponsor of Valley Town Hall.