Jared Jackson
December 2021, preferred pronouns: he/him

James Baldwin was a cultural worker, and what Jacqueline Woodson has established in Baldwin for the Arts, named in his honor, is nothing short of cultural work. During my residency—where I wrestled with and thought critically about my art, felt inspired by the beautiful landscape, and rested peacefully each night with the knowledge that the next day would be fruitful—I felt safe, nurtured, and empowered to create art within a space I know was envisioned with folks like me in mind. And as the artists in the decades to come will be, I am forever grateful for the radical generosity, intentionality, and love behind what makes a place like this, a place for artists like me to dream and create freely, exist.