معرفی
Patricia Spears Jones is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of English at Barnard College, a Brooklyn-based poet, playwright, educator, and cultural activist. She has taught creative writing at Hunter College, Adelphi University, Hollins University, and numerous writing workshops nationwide, including at Cave Canem, Fine Arts Work Center, and the Community of Writers. In 2023, she was named the New York State Poet, receiving the Walt Whitman Citation of Merit.
- Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of English, Barnard College
- New York State Poet (2023–2025)
- Senior Fellow Emeritus, Black Earth Institute
- Organizer, American Poets Congress
- Curator, WORDS Sunday reading series, Brooklyn
Her research and creative work centers on poetry, African American literature, feminist expression, and the intersection of art and politics. She explores themes of dignity, joy, resistance, and community, particularly within the Black experience. Her work is deeply engaged with cultural memory, social justice, and the transformative power of language. As a mentor and workshop leader, she has influenced emerging poets such as Renato Rosaldo, Metta Sama, and Meghan Dunn, many of whom have published their own collections after participating in her programs.
Her recent publications include The Beloved Community (2023) and A Lucent Fire: New and Selected Poems (2015). Her poems appear in The New Yorker, Plume, The Brooklyn Rail, and major anthologies like African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song. Her poetic style blends lyrical intensity with candid political and emotional insight, often performed with musical collaborators like Jason Hwang and Ras Moshe Burnett.
She has received numerous honors, including the 2017 Jackson Poetry Prize, a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, and multiple residencies at Yaddo, Millay, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. In 2025, she was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Hartwick College.
- 2017 Jackson Poetry Prize
- National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship
- Walt Whitman Citation of Merit for Poetry
- Robert Rauschenberg Residency
- Residencies at Yaddo, Millay, VCCA, Camargo Foundation
- Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Hartwick College (2025)
As an educator and literary citizen, Patricia Spears Jones has curated programs at The Poetry Project of St. Mark’s Church and founded the WORDS Sunday series in Brooklyn. She has been a key figure in fostering community among women poets and Black writers, organizing readings, panels, and benefit events. Her leadership in organizations like Cave Canem and the American Poets Congress reflects her commitment to amplifying marginalized voices and connecting poetry with political action.
She is actively involved in literary curation and performance, often integrating music and visual art. Her recent work includes commissioned pieces for The Museum of Modern Art and Mabou Mines, and she continues to perform nationally. Her workshops emphasize dialogue, experimentation, and the emergence of new poetic forms, contributing to a vibrant and inclusive literary ecosystem.
