Poetry Reading and Discussion with Janet E. Aalfs

Location: Sisterspace and Books, 3717 Georgia Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20010, (Georgia Avenue Petworth Metro)

www.sisterspacedc.com
info@sisterspacedc.com
202-829-0306

Janet E. Aalfs, poet, martial artist, teacher, performer, and community activist, is dedicated to nurturing forums for people to express their creativity. She was the poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts, from 2003 to 2005. In 2008, Aalfs facilitated a Split This Rock Poetry Festival workshop, and will do so again this year, as well as be on an LGBTQ panel. She was a festival poet at the Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey, and taught and performed at Goddard’s “Power of the Word.” In 2009 she was part of a teaching/performing artist exchange in Cape Town, South Africa. Her poems have been published widely in journals and anthologies. Collections of her poetry include Reach; Red; Notes from the River; Silver Paper Boxes for Guan Yin; and Perfection of Light. A 7th degree black belt, she has been the director and head instructor since 1982 of Valley Women’s Martial Arts: Institute for Healing and Violence Prevention Strategies in Easthampton, Massachusetts.