In February 2022, Learning Courage hosted our second annual virtual event. This year our theme was Courage. It takes courage to tell your story, to stand up and speak out for change, to shift damaging cultural systems and dynamics that lead to harm, and to heal from sexual abuse and violence. This year our performers were inspired by our theme of courage and showed it through dance, poetry, song, spoken word, and storytelling; several of them even created new pieces, especially for our event.  We were honored to have Gregory Jbarra, well known for his role as “DCPI Garrett Moore” on the hit CBS police drama BLUE BLOODS, his extensive work on Broadway, and his Tony Award-winning for his portrayal of the Dad in Billy Elliot the musical serve as our host for the evening. 

The first Latino to hold the position of Poet Laureate of the United States, Juan is the author of 30 books, including collections of poetry, prose, short stories, young adult novels and picture books for children. Juan is a recipient of multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards and medals, has been inducted into the Latino Hall of Fame, and received countless awards including the International Book Award, Guggenheim Poetry Fellowship, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. He is also a performance artist and activist on behalf of migrant and immigrant communities. Currently, he is developing the Kind Time Project to end bullying and violence in K-12 schools and their communities. What’s more, Juan composed a poem just for our event. About Juan Felipe Herrera | Academy of American Poets