Omaha native Jewel Rodgers has officially made history as Nebraska’s first Black poet laureate, BOTWC reports.
She also holds the distinction of being the youngest person ever appointed to the position which carries a five-year renewable term.
Rodgers, daughter of 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers was selected from a pool of four applicants and will succeed Matt Mason, who has served as Nebraska State Poet since 2019.
“I’ve had the privilege of seeing her several different times, and all of a sudden, when she went into spoken word poetry, it just popped off the charts and I said, ‘Who is this woman? Holy cow,” Governor Jim Pillen remarked during the state ceremony.
At just 27, Rodgers has already built an impressive résumé as a poet, artist, and founder of PlaceMe. She regularly performs at schools, conferences, and public events across Nebraska and is a three-time Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards nominee, as well as a three-time TEDx Speaker.
Her accolades include being named a 2022 Union for Contemporary Art Fellow, a 2023 Andy Warhol Populus Fund grantee, and a 2024 finalist in the Blackberry Peach Poetry Slam. She also serves as a teaching artist with the Nebraska Writers Collective and co-hosts the Nebraska Poetry Society’s monthly Vocal Fry Open Mic.
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Speaking at her ceremony, Rodgers credited her parents for nurturing her love of poetry and instilling in her a relentless work ethic.
“My father, Johnny Rodgers, is directly responsible for my work ethic. I try really, really hard, and I know no other way because of him,” she said.
As for her mother, Rodgers expressed deep gratitude: “[My mother has] always encouraged the arts in me; she saw the value in my voice, my pen, and my hands when nobody else did.”
In her new role as Poet Laureate, Rodgers will travel the state for five years advocating for poetry, literature, and literacy on the state’s behalf. She also plans on using her platform to empower the youth and shine a spotlight on other Nebraska authors and artists.
“Thank you so much for choosing to honor my gift in this way. I am beyond privileged and honored,” Rodgers stated. “There are so many amazing writers that we don’t know yet, that I don’t even know yet. So, with this platform as both a privilege and an opportunity, I intend to uplift as many Nebraska voices as possible.”
Johnny Rodgers, on his part, said he was extremely proud of his daughter and sat from row and center at the ceremony announcing her appointment.
“It’s indescribable…She’s been thinking about this for a long time and proved it that you can do whatever you want to do if you just want to do it bad enough,” the elder Rodgers said. “It’s almost incredibly impossible that my daughter would be the first African American to win such an award for the state of Nebraska.”
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In addition to her Poet Laureate title, Jewel Rodgers was also awarded Admiral of the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, one of the state’s highest civic honors.
