My City September 2021

MYARTS

Meet Flint’s Poet Laureate

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BY CHERYL DENNISON PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SEMAJ BROWN

really an honor," Brown says of the award. "I was ecstatic and shocked!" The monetary gift will be used to continue her poet laureate civic focus, the Poetry Pod Project (P3). Brown was named Flint's first poet laureate in September 2019 by then-mayor, Karen Wea Th idea was suggested to Brow y of years prior, then again in grew up around poet laure I knew what it would requ admits. “I receive no money City of Flint – I do it for t of Flint." As a poet laureat tasked with making poetry in the community. "For me y g is to use poetry to increase and I can accomplish that interdisciplinary programm " her interdisciplinary, interg Pierians (a national arts org tion with a chapter in Flin p

civic literacy initiative, which is a fun, educational process that incorporates art and science through games. Originally from Detroit, Brown moved to Flint in 2003 when she married her husband, area physician James Brown, MD. She graduated f W S U i i i h g gy g

“I believe we are the creative imag ination of our futures. I understand thought to be the poetic spark from which all things manifest. Thoughts are architectural, build ing words into language, construct ing societies that define Earth’s social ecosystems." Semaj Brown P oet. Educator. Play wright. Author. Per former. Thought Leader who thinks outside the lines. These are just a few of the many hats worn by Semaj Brown, Flint's first Poet Laureate. She is also a recipient of the 2021 Academy of American Poets Poet Laureate Fel lowship Award, which was given to 23 poet laureates across the country. The recipients were awarded $50,000 to help them grow public poetry programs in their communities. "It is

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