John James is a New Orleans-born and raised poet, storyteller, and cultural curator with over 16 years of experience performing, organizing, and nurturing spaces for creative expression. He began writing as a way to survive—transforming the traumas of his upbringing, marked by city failures, systemic neglect, and normalized violence, into poetry that serves as therapy for himself and others. While many shy away from these truths, John confronts them head-on, using his words to heal, process, and connect.

He has performed across the country, including at Essence Festival, and is the longtime host of *Pass It On*, one of New Orleans’ longest-running multidisciplinary open mic series. 

As Managing Director of The Hueman Development Project at The House on Claiborne, he curates events rooted in Black cultural work and communal care, such as *JUICE: A Backyard Vibe* and *Liberation Lines*, a Juneteenth writing workshop and showcase. His workshops often help participants turn personal and generational trauma into poetry, with past partnerships including the Promise of Justice Initiative. From mentoring young artists to building cultural infrastructure, John’s work remains deeply embedded in the spirit, struggle, and soul of New Orleans. 

During his time at A Studio in the Woods, John plans to engage deeply with his archive of unpublished poems—refining, reworking, and completing a cohesive collection of 20–30 poems centered on narratives of survival, memory, and place, forming the foundation for his first full-length poetry book.