J. Joy “Sistah Joy” Alford is the inaugural Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is the author of 3 books of poetry:

 Lord I’m Dancin’ As Fast As I Can,

 From Pain to Empowerment - The Fabric of My Being, and

 This Garden Called Life

She received the 2002 Poet Laureate Special Award from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for her outstanding contributions to the art of poetry in her native Washington, DC. She has served as President of the Ebenezer Poetry Ministry since 2003 and was named Poet Laureate of Ebenezer AME Church in 2016.

She produces and hosts the award-winning TV show, “Sojourn with Words,” which airs on CTV in Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, MD, and can now be viewed globally through its virtual format on YouTube and Zoom.

Sistah Joy is an activist poet who founded Collective Voices, a poetry ensemble whose members present messages of social consciousness, inspiration, and empowerment. She has performed throughout the U.S. and in the U.K.

Visit Sistah Joy's website here

Read Joy's poety here