News Summary
Jessica Care Moore, a celebrated poet and activist, has received the 2025 Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. Among 23 honorees selected across the country, Moore will use the $50,000 grant to initiate a literacy and storytelling project in Detroit that fosters community engagement and intergenerational connections. Supported by matching grants for nonprofit partners, the initiative includes workshops, murals, and an audio poetry chapbook aimed at celebrating the city’s diverse voices. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan praised Moore’s contributions to the community and the broader appreciation of poetry.
Detroit, MI – Jessica Care Moore, a prominent poet and activist, has been awarded the 2025 Poet Laureate Fellowship by the Academy of American Poets. She is among 23 selected poets nationwide to receive this honor, which comes with a financial grant of $50,000 funded by the Mellon Foundation.
Moore plans to utilize this fellowship to launch a comprehensive literacy and storytelling initiative aimed at engaging diverse communities in several neighborhoods across Detroit. This project will be in collaboration with The LOVE Building, and it aims to foster intergenerational connections between longtime residents and newcomers. The initiative will feature workshops designed to engage participants of all ages, as well as the creation of large-scale murals alongside local muralists and student artists from Detroit schools.
In addition to the workshops and murals, the project will produce an audio poetry chapbook that highlights the diverse voices within the city. Moore sees this as an opportunity to expand the reach and appreciation of poetry within public spaces throughout Detroit.
The Academy of American Poets has earmarked over $95,000 in matching grants for nonprofit organizations that will partner with the fellows, supporting the integration of poetry into everyday life. Since the fellowship program began in 2019, it has invested more than $7.6 million in the laureate community and aided in the establishment of over 40 new laureate positions across the United States.
The Board Chair of the Academy of American Poets expressed excitement for the diverse range of projects funded through the fellowship, indicating a growing recognition of the importance of poetry as a communal art form. Moore, who is also known for her acclaimed works including the upcoming children’s book “Your Crown Shines” and the poetry collections “We Want Our Bodies Back” and “The Alphabet Verses the Ghetto,” has received multiple honors, like a Kresge Arts Fellowship and a Knight Foundation grant.
The initiative is aligned with the objectives of the Poet Laureate Fellowship, which aims to bring poetry into the public sphere through events like festivals, workshops, and readings. Moore’s vision includes inspiring young individuals to appreciate poetry as an integral part of education by integrating it into school curricula. She is particularly focused on promoting poetry as a key means of cultural expression and personal insight during a time of increasing interest in the form.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has commended Moore’s recognition, acknowledging her as an internationally respected artist with a significant impact on the community. Her work is expected to not only enhance public appreciation for poetry but to also instill a sense of pride and engagement among residents through various public art displays throughout the city.
This initiative is projected to exceed the initial grant total, prompting Moore to seek additional support from local organizations to help realize her vision for this community-focused project.
As Moore embarks on this fellowship journey, her commitment to enhancing the role of poetry in public and educational spaces promises to enrich the cultural landscape of Detroit and foster a deeper sense of community pride.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Detroit Poet Laureate Awarded $50,000 Fellowship for Community Poetry
Detroit Poet Laureate Receives Grant for Community Poetry Projects
Detroit’s Vibrant Arts Scene Thrives with July Events
Additional Resources
- Detroit Free Press: Jessica Care Moore Detroit Poet Laureate Project
- Detroit News: Poetic Murals and Haiku Recordings Among Laureate’s Plans for Detroit
- Click On Detroit: Detroit’s Poet Laureate – A Visionary Voice of Empowerment
- Wikipedia: Jessica Care Moore
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Poetry
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