Go Ahead and Free Yourself: Poet Jori An Cotton Uplifts Black Women through Spoken Word

As founder of Voices of Healing Workshops and Consulting, Jori An Cotton, LSW, uses her gifts as nurturer and steward of the creative arts to empower her community. She names her mother, who worked as a child care center director when Cotton was a little girl, as an early example of empowerment in action.

“I watched her doing similar work, doing what she could for the community and nurturing, which has been a huge part in my life,” Cotton says.  Through interactions at the center with children and young mothers, Cotton saw firsthand the intersectionality between youth development and women’s empowerment, and why nurturing both was important.

Throughout Cotton’s teen years, writing poetry granted solace. “Once I realized that poetry was healing for me, the only thing I could think of to do was help people find their voice in poetry,” Cotton says. “There’s power in sharing your voice,” she adds.  “Once you say it, nobody can bring you down; it’s freeing.”

Currently, the Ohio State graduate, who has led creative arts workshops through non-profit organizations such as Starfire Cincinnati, WordPlay Cincy and Elementz, helps a group of North College Hill students exercise the power in their voices. In collaboration with Cradle Cincinnati, Cotton developed In Her Voice, a project centered around nurturing young black women in grades 9-12 with positive outlets for self-care, stress reduction and self-expression.

“The participants are also empowered with a self-care toolbox of resources and self-awareness assessments to plan for their futures, make healthy choices and advocate for themselves and their families,” Cotton says.

By sharing her stories, Cotton opened the door for the girls to connect with her. Her group, which meets weekly after-school, is what Cotton describes as a “sister circle” and a safe space to strengthen social connections through storytelling, poetry and pampering. Making handmade sugar scrubs have become a favorite self-care activity.

“As we build community, each week I learn something more about them and their story, and it’s important for them to know that they’re not alone in what they’re going through, so their voices matter,” Cotton explains. “They have goals, they have dreams; they’re all super smart and they have certain barriers that I believe they can get through with their creativity and their voice. (They are) beautiful, smart women who deserve to be heard. Their stories, I just know, will help a lot of people.”

Their stories will be heard at In Her Voice: Celebrating the Power of Black Women’s Love, a night of performance and poetry on May 16 at Woodward Theater. Performers include Tank and the Bangas, Lauren Eylise, Jennifer Simone, Jori An Cotton and DJ Apryl Reign. In Her Voice is sponsored by Cradle Cincinnati, Queens Village, OSNR and Underworld Jazz Festival. Reserve your ticket today at inhervoiceconcert.eventbrite.com

Why Jori loves Black women:

All the obvious reasons: Strong, beautiful, but also natural nurturers and natural healers to the point that we don’t even know that we’re healing. It’s a real essence and spirit, and I just see a lot of women today remembering that, remembering that they’re healers and nurturers— and that’s a big part of us healing the world.

Ways that Black women can support each other:

Being intentional with taking care of each other’s children, being there for each other, cooking together for the kids, feeding the children together, just creating natural sister circles – what we’ve been doing since time immemorial, but just remembering that more.

Ways to support Black women and their families:

Listen to what she’s saying. We are nurturers and healers, so listen because it’s going to be healing for everybody. Listen and let their voices be heard. It’s a natural law; that’s why things are kind of out whack because we’re not listened to. And allow them the space to use their resources to better their children. They need the tools to nurture the next generation without extra stressors.

Come out and see Jori An Cotton at the In Her Voice Concert on May 16, hosted by Queens Village and Underworld Jazz Festival at the Woodward Theater. Featured performers include Tank & the Bangas, Lauren Eylise, Jennifer Simone, MC Jori An Cotton & DJ Apryl Reign along with the Premiere of Because We Love Her: Love Letters to Black Women video and poetry by the In Her Voice North College Hill Poetry Crew.

Get your tickets at https://inhervoiceconcert.eventbrite.com/

Use the code inhervoice to get 30% off ticket price!

Article by Mildred Fallen