The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) will celebrate Women’s History Month with a dynamic lineup of female poets, storytellers, and dancers at its upcoming event, “Strength, Courage & Wisdom,” on Saturday, March 29, at 8 p.m. The performance will take place at 153-10 Jamaica Ave. in Jamaica.
This year’s event, curated by JCAL’s Director of Program Operations Wendy Armiah Berot, is themed around Sankofa-style wisdom. Sankofa, an Akan word meaning “to retrieve,” represents learning from the past to build a stronger future. The event will feature renowned spoken-word poet and activist Staceyann Chin as the headliner.
Chin, an acclaimed poet, LGBTQ activist, and performer, has appeared on Def Poetry Jam and has published works in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Her literary contributions include her poetry collection, “Crossfire: A Litany for Survival,” and her critically acclaimed memoir, “The Other Side of Paradise.” She was also a co-writer and original performer in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production “Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam.”
Berot emphasized that wisdom is often personified as a woman, drawing a connection between the strength and resilience of women throughout history. She noted that Helen Reddy’s 1972 feminist anthem “I Am Woman” celebrates the triumphs women have achieved despite social, political, and personal obstacles. She explained that pain can take many forms—whether physical, mental, or emotional—but the wisdom gained from it is the central focus of this event. The interpretation of pain, she said, is left to the artists.
The evening will feature a mix of returning and new performers, including poets Renee Joshua-Porter, Tracey Irvin, and Cheryl “Mama Phife” Boyce-Taylor, along with Keys Will and Jasmine “JRose” Rosario. In addition, dancer Jaria Morris will choreograph and perform a tribute to the late poet and writer Nikki Giovanni.
The featured artists bring a wealth of prestigious accolades and accomplishments to the stage. Boyce-Taylor’s work is preserved at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. Rosario won the 2023 BRIC Brooklyn Grand Slam Finals and has also been a champion at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Slam. Will, a lyricist, teaching artist, and spoken-word poet from Queens, has performed at venues such as The Bowery, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Lehman College, and JCAL. She is also the author of “Chrysalis: Not Quite the Butterfly.”
Joshua-Porter is a multidisciplinary artist with over 35 years of experience as an educator, performer, playwright, and former Alvin Ailey teaching artist. She is also the founder of The Burning Bush Family Foundation Inc. Irvin, a longtime Queens resident, has published poetry collections including “Feelings Not Facts, Limericks of Life, and Expressions of the Heart,” which explore life through her unique perspective.
Morris, a dedicated dancer and instructor, specializes in hip-hop, ballet, Afrofusion, Soca, tap, and jazz. She began dancing at the age of three at Pat’s Dance Studio, where she now teaches.
Tickets for “Strength, Courage & Wisdom” are available for $10 at www.JCAL.org.
This annual event continues JCAL’s mission of celebrating women’s resilience, creativity, and cultural impact, bringing together powerful voices from various artistic disciplines to share stories of struggle, triumph, and wisdom.
