Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey presents a commendation to the state's first Black poet laureate, Ashley M. Jones, during a ceremony at the Capitol in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Jones, a creative writing teacher from Birmingham, delves into the pain and difficulty of being Black in America. Her most recent book is a collection of poems titled "Reparations Now!"
“Everyone in this room, and I would add folks around the country, are proud of you for being honored with this well-deserved, historic recognition,” Ivey told Jones during a ceremony. “She brings a strong statement, but she brings a lot of balance,” said Thompson. “And so I think that she will have things to say that people will hear.”
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