Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Digital Learning team sat down for an inspiring conversation with former Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence Jacqueline Woodson about her inspirations, being a writer, and her goals for her residency.
To take your learning further, check out the collection of resources our conversation prompted us to curate related to Jacqueline's illuminating stories: kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/featured-resources/20220829
0:00 - Intro
0:17 - How did your childhood shape your journey to become a writer?
2:31 - What books from your childhood had a significant effect on you?
7:05 - When did you first start calling yourself a writer?
10:02 - What professional opportunities started your career and how did you balance those with decisions to nourish your creativity?
13:19 - Were you ever worried about whether the life of an artist would offer enough financial security?
17:03 - What connections do you maintain with other artists and how does that artist community influence your work?
21:32 - What does your writing process look like?
28:27 - How do you balance writing with other important commitments?
33:24 - What keeps you writing now?
39:28 - What are some opportunities for engaging young people in the literary arts?
46:37 - How would you like to see arts education evolve in schools?
50:37 - Why are themes of family and history important to you?
59:04 - What outlets do you hope young people are using to unpack their lived experiences of the world?
1:04:11 - When the world is a loud place, how do you keep yourself centered so you can create?
1:09:00 - What does empathy mean to you?
1:10:49 - What is your history with the Kennedy Center?
1:12:26 - What impact do you hope your Kennedy Center residency will have?
1:16:32 - An excerpt from Brown Girl Dreaming
#jacquelinewoodson #kennedycenter #education
The Digital Learning team sat down for an inspiring conversation with former Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence Jacqueline Woodson about her inspirations, being a writer, and her goals for her residency.
To take your learning further, check out the collection of resources our conversation prompted us to curate related to Jacqueline's illuminating stories: kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/featured-resources/20220829
0:00 - Intro
0:17 - How did your childhood shape your journey to become a writer?
2:31 - What books from your childhood had a significant effect on you?
7:05 - When did you first start calling yourself a writer?
10:02 - What professional opportunities started your career and how did you balance those with decisions to nourish your creativity?
13:19 - Were you ever worried about whether the life of an artist would offer enough financial security?
17:03 - What connections do you maintain with other artists and how does that artist community influence your work?
21:32 - What does your writing process look like?
28:27 - How do you balance writing with other important commitments?
33:24 - What keeps you writing now?
39:28 - What are some opportunities for engaging young people in the literary arts?
46:37 - How would you like to see arts education evolve in schools?
50:37 - Why are themes of family and history important to you?
59:04 - What outlets do you hope young people are using to unpack their lived experiences of the world?
1:04:11 - When the world is a loud place, how do you keep yourself centered so you can create?
1:09:00 - What does empathy mean to you?
1:10:49 - What is your history with the Kennedy Center?
1:12:26 - What impact do you hope your Kennedy Center residency will have?
1:16:32 - An excerpt from Brown Girl Dreaming
#jacquelinewoodson #kennedycenter #education
