In collaboration with Georgetown-Howard Center for Medical Humanities and Health Justice (MHHJ), Listener Poet Ravenna Raven presented at the Poetic Health Justice event on April 9th, an event honoring the lived realities of those impacted by cancer.
Listener Poet Ravenna Raven spent a day at the Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center, and alongside colleagues Yvette Perry and Sibihan Lawrence — who led online listening sessions with Howard University and additional D.C. cancer care communities — they captured moving stories of health justice. The Listener Poets spoke with public health professionals, health communications experts, artists-in-residence, and those with firsthand experience in providing or receiving healthcare.
This project aimed to:
Honor personal stories shaped by illness and resilience
Highlight overlooked injustices and how social factors impact health across generations
Uplift community-led strategies for healing and advocacy
Key takeaways include:
The Importance of Loved Ones: Resilience often comes from family and community support.
Barriers to Care: Financial costs, time away from work, and job flexibility impact health outcomes.
Support for Patients: Help with administrative tasks, insurance, and communication between care teams is vital.
The Role of Arts in Healing: Spaces for personal connection and holistic healing are essential, though often inaccessible without resources.
Above all, through this project, we learned that honoring what people want to do with the life they have is crucial. This opens up an opportunity for deeper connection and understanding. By listening closely to individual experiences and focusing on what truly matters to people in their unique circumstances, we can create more compassionate, responsive care. Together, we can build spaces where people are seen, heard, and supported in ways that nurture their wellbeing, bringing healing not just through treatment, but through understanding, empathy, and presence.
A note from Ravenna:
“Thank you to everyone who made this collaboration and event so meaningful. From the poetry and music by the American Poetry Museum and all the incredible poets and performers, to the impactful artwork by Jessica Maria Hopkins, the thoughtful and inspiring panel, and the compassionate hosting – it was an unforgettable experience. Thank you to Jonathan Flores from MHHJ for inviting us – I’m deeply grateful to have been part of this project and moved by the care, effort, and heart behind it all.”
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