Teaches members how to find light in the darkness, unlock their innate creativity and gain the inspiration to explore unique artistic styles
MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced the launch of award-winning poet and musician Joy Harjo’s class on poetic thinking. Drawing from her own ancestral stories and personal examples of her work, Harjo will teach MasterClass members how to become internally connected, unlock creative blocks and use poetry as a communication device for ideas. Harjo’s class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 150+ instructors with an annual membership.
“As the first Indigenous American to be named U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy teaches poetry from a place of embodiment and spirit, rather than craft and technique,” said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. “In her class, she focuses on identity, purpose, activism, healing and inheritance, and encourages members to free themselves of being blocked or constrained. The result is a class rich in emotion that is perfect for resetting and reflecting.”
Harjo pushes MasterClass members to think beyond traditional ideologies and structures of writing poetry in order to expand their imagination and be deeply rooted in their intentions. She teaches how to reach new levels of listening and how to navigate big questions and difficult topics by tapping into their origin stories and unique identities. In a lesson on overcoming creative blocks, Harjo guides members away from traditional writing structures, garnering inspiration from dreams and connecting internally through figurative language. Through her work as the U.S. Poet Laureate on the Living Nations, Living Words project, Harjo empowers members to uncover their voice and use poetic mapping to further connect their communities through writing. Additionally, members will learn how to turn poetry into a song as Harjo works with Grammy Award–winning producer, engineer and performer Larry Mitchell. Members will walk away from Harjo’s class with a better perspective of their creative voice and the inspiration to experiment with new artistic styles.
“Poetry, to me, is not just the written word, but a soul-based expression that can help us find light in darkness, uncover new perceptions and even heal from trauma,” Harjo said. “In my class, I’ll share my experience and ancestral history to help members honor their own story, unlock their innate creativity and find confidence and joy in their writing.”
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harjo is a member of the Mvskoke Nation and belongs to Oce Vpofv (Hickory Ground). She is currently the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States, appointed by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Harjo began writing poetry as a member of the University of New Mexico’s Native American student organization, the Kiva Club. She is the author of nine books of poetry, including An American Sunrise (2019), which was a 2020 Oklahoma Book Award winner. Her first memoir, Crazy Brave (2012), was awarded the PEN Center USA Award for Creative Nonfiction and the American Book Award. She is the editor of Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry, the companion anthology to her signature Poet Laureate project with the Library of Congress, featuring a sampling of work by 47 Native Nations poets. In addition to serving as a three-term U.S. Poet Laureate, Harjo is a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and is a founding board member and chair of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. She has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Philosophical Society, the National Native American Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Hall of Fame. As a musician performing with her saxophone and flutes, Harjo has produced seven award-winning music albums and performs saxophone and flutes with her band, the Arrow Dynamics Band.
ABOUT MASTERCLASS:
MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world’s best come together so anyone, anywhere, can learn from and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. With an annual membership, members get unprecedented access to 150+ instructors and classes across a wide variety of fields, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Nas’ recording studio and Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen, and go behind the big screen with James Cameron. Design your career with Elaine Welteroth, get ready to win with Lewis Hamilton, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn and discover at a pace that best serves your lifestyle—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge. Cinematic visuals and close-up demonstrations make you feel like you’re one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable class guides help reinforce your learning. For those looking to learn by doing, Sessions by MasterClass offers a structured, 30-day curriculum where members can roll up their sleeves, get hands-on and learn meaningful skills through step-by-step guidance from world-class instructors and an engaged community of peers. Stream thousands of lessons on mobile, tablet, desktop, Apple TV®, Android™ TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku® players and devices.
Follow MasterClass:
Twitter @masterclass
Instagram @masterclass
Facebook @masterclassofficial
Follow Joy Harjo:
Twitter @joyharjo
Instagram @joyharjoforreal
Facebook @joyharjo
MasterClass Announces Class on Poetic Thinking With U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo
SOURCE MasterClass
