WELCOME TO SANCTUARY POETS Sanctuary Poets is a civic project that creates a safe place, a sanctuary, for individuals of various skill, comfort and knowledge levels to form a writing community. It is inspired by June Jordan’s “Poetry for the People." For six-weeks, individuals will participate in a weekly poetry seminar. Sanctuary Poets seeks to model the inclusive nature of a sanctuary - meaning people of various backgrounds will gather in a central place. The same group of poets will be in each seminar, so they can form a sense of community. All will be welcomed; only curiosity is needed. The program will be facilitated by Chasity Gunn, Elgin's Poet Laureate. It is a part of the Academy of American Poets Poet Laureate fellowships held across the nation. How the seminars will work Each seminar of Sanctuary Poets will run for six weeks and be three hours each week. In the first hour, the poets will discuss the assigned reading. In the second hour, the poets wi