National Poet Laureate and musician Joy Harjo shares her artistic journey as a Native American woman into what she calls the “story field.” She says that in these times of radical disruption, chaos and disturbance, great creativity also pours forth… and we all play a part in which way the story will go.

Joy Harjo is an internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee Nation. She served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2019-2022 and is winner of the Poetry Society of America’s 2024 Frost Medal, Yale’s 2023 Bollingen Prize for American Poetry, and was recently honored with a National Humanities Medal.

Credits

Executive Producer: Kenny Ausubel

Written by: Kenny Ausubel

Senior Producer and Station Relations: Stephanie Welch

Associate Producer: Emily Harris

Producer: Teo Grossman

Host and Consulting Producer: Neil Harvey

Production Assistance: Mika Anami

This program features music by Joy Harjo and from Nagamo Publishing, the Indigenous-created music library.

Watch Joy Harjo's Keynote – Bioneers 2025

This is an episode of the Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature series. Visit the radio and podcast homepage to learn more.

Poetic Justice: Joy Harjo’s Artistic Journey in the Story Field