Itâs the season of giving, but thatâs not why poet, writer, and artist Beverly Finney of Hickory has been stealthily distributing free poems. The Catawba County nativeâs been doing it âto encourage each other to remember our shared humanity,â she explained. 2020 has been â and continues to be â a tough one. Beverlyâs hopeful her inspiring poems will help women and men ârecognize the human experience,â as Beverly called the basis of all her writing. âWe all have fears, hopes, dreams, angers, mistakes, and our successes,â she pointed out.
In other words, at our cores, we people of this earth are more alike than different, and if we come to see and appreciate the universality of living, maybe weâll love each other at least a little more.
Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence
North Carolina poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green
2021 Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence Readings
The week will include two public events a panel on Environmental Justice and a conversation moderated by Gene Nichol, class visits by each writer, a community outreach with a local high school and a writing session with UNC creative writing students, and a celebratory dinner.
Monday, Feb 22:
CHANGE: Due to weather conditions and travel, Rev. William Barber II will not be able to attend our reading tonight. We look forward to a reading and Q&A with North Carolina Poet Laureate and social activist Jaki Shelton Green! Tune in on Thursday for a Panel on Environmental Justice with Jaki Shelton Green, Rev William Barber II, and NC Attorney General Josh Stein, moderated by WUNC’s Leoneda Inge.