Introducing Poetry In Place, a workshop series engaging and archiving our relationship with the Trinity River.

About Guest Contributor Jodi Voice Yellowfish:
Jodi Voice Yellowfish is Cherokee, Muscogee Creek, and Oglala Lakota. She was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and is a product of the Relocation Program. Jod is on the planning committee for the AT&T ICAE Powwow and her passion and heart work is as one of the Founders and Chair for MMIW Texas Rematriate. MMIW is missing and murdered Indigenous Women and People. She is also a proud wife and adoptive parent.

 

 

What is Poetry In Place?
Poetry In Place is a new project documenting the relationship of residents of Dallas with the Trinity River, one of the main geographical features motiving the placement of the city when it was founded. In monthly workshops, attendees will learn about the river from a guest contributor, and then explore and record their experience based on prompts by Teaching Artists Lisa Huffaker and Joe Milazzo. Material created during the workshops will be archived and available on The Garret's website for the general public to read and discover. In September, an anthology of selected contributions will be published.

Who can participate in Poetry In Place?
The workshops are free and open to the public, and previous writing experience or training is not required. Poetry In Place was created to record and archive the responses of the people whose lives and experiences (and/or curiosity) engage the river and how it shapes, divides, bridges, and unites communities in the city. The project is designed for participants with little or no previous writing experience. 

Note: while the program does not have an age requirement, the workshops are designed for adults.

Where and when will the workshops take place?
Each month, the location of the Poetry In Place workshop will be different, focusing on a different component of our collective understanding of the river. Workshops will be held at locations adjacent to the communities of West Dallas, Joppa, 10th Street/The Bottoms, The Cedars, Bonton and others. The exact meeting location of each workshop will be communicated to registered participants. Workshops will be held outside, and a moderate amount of walking should be expected.

The workshops will always be held on Saturdays, though the time window will shift from afternoon to morning as the project moves into summer.
Dates for workshops:
March 22nd - meet at the Ron Kirk Bridge | 2-4pm
April 12th - location TBA
May 10th - location TBA
June 14th - location TBA
July 12th - location TBA
August 23rd - location TBA