Meet the Artist: Alex Tha Great (Given Real Encouragement Amongst Turmoil) is an accomplished poet, speaker, event curator, DEI consultant, and philanthropist holding a Master’s degree in Cultural Studies. She is the Executive Director of the Right 2 Write Poetry Slam Festival, #4 ranked Woman Poet in the World, a TedX speaker, and community organizer known in her current home of Dallas and earlier roots of East Palo Alto, CA. Her poems have been published in several journals including The Cookout, Illya’s Honey, The Voices Project, The Legendary, and Linden Avenue and she is the author of four collections of poetry including the latest title Weeping in Public Spaces (2022). Her solo project Don’t Let The Sun Beat You Home (2023) saw a great run as the final offering in her residency with Arts Mission Oak Cliff and was a succession to her first one woman show Passport to Womanhood (2013) which was awarded Best One Woman Show by the Houston Fringe Festival that year. Her most gracious job is being mother to a vivacious 8-year-old little girl and is balanced by a self-care routine involving peanut M & M’s, prayer, and much needed naps. She lives by the motto: Whatever you do, let it be bold!
Session Description: In this session, participants will be writing new poems that are an ode. An ode is a poem written in celebration or praise of something, someone, or place. We will discuss all the things that make Desoto its own and what the vibrant culture of arts feeds into the city. Participants will write about their own personal likes and dislikes to capture the essence of themselves. Completed poems will be submitted for a final project called the PoeTree in which community members can adopt a poem of their choice.
Target Audience: Any age, at least 6, families welcome
Complimentary Flavored Tea from Menu Six Fusion for the first 10 participants.
