The Berks Bards Board of Directors has announced that its new Poet Laureate Committee has agreed unanimously to name Aries Franklin Ortiz (aka The Poet Smiley) as the Berks County Poet Laureate.
Aries Franklin Ortiz has been named the new Berks County Poet Laureate. (Courtesy of Berks Bards)
“We came to the decision to honor Aries as the result of her extraordinary accomplishments, not only as a fine written-page and spoken-word poet, but as a leader of Berks County’s growing poetry community,” said Susan Pena, president of Berks Bards and a member of the committee.
Her list of activities from the past two years include publishing her book, “I Come With a Warning Label”; founding and continuing to organize the “Bless the Mic Poetry Slam”; creating an oral-history collection through Speak Your Truth; partnering with local nonprofits (including Barrio Alegria, the WCR Center for the Arts, and GoggleWorks Center for the Arts) and Alvernia University to create events; founding her own nonprofit, The Smiley House Project, to promote poetry, literacy and other arts; holding youth workshops in various locations; and much more.
“Through all these activities, Aries has attracted poets from Pittsburgh, York, Lancaster, Allentown, Philadelphia and other places outside Berks, who now come to Reading on a regular basis for what our poetry community offers them,” Pena said. “All of her projects and contributions to the community at large, bringing the art of poetry to people from all walks of life, are exactly what we want from a Poet Laureate.”
Franklin Ortiz has received two Pennsylvania state citations from two different state representatives, and a commendation from the City of Reading, as well as the Coretta Scott King Book Grant.
“Becoming Poet Laureate is both an honor and a responsibility that I carry with deep gratitude,” Franklin Ortiz said. “I look forward to using poetry to amplify voices, inspire healing, and celebrate the stories that make our community strong.”
“Aries has played a critical role in reinvigorating local poetry through community building, elevating voices, and reciting verses that many would be too timid to share,” said Anthony Orozco, a former Berks County Poet Laureate and director of operations and communications for Barrio Alegria. “She is a grand ambassador for this art form, and all poets in the region will benefit from her being laureate.
“I want to thank Susan Pena and the Berks Bards committee for hearing my request late last year and carrying on the torch of Berks County Poet Laureate. They couldn’t have made a better choice.”
Berks Bards is planning to hold an event in September during which Franklin Ortiz will be formally presented with the Laureate honor, with a reception afterward. The date, time and venue will be announced later.
Theater
Yocum Institute for Arts Education is bringing the excitement of live theater back to communities throughout Berks County with its annual Summer Theater Tour.
This year’s original production, “Digging Up the Past,” will travel to nine public libraries and community locations in July, offering families a free, interactive theatrical adventure filled with history, mystery, science, and storytelling.
Created and directed by Joel Richard Gori, “Digging Up the Past” invites audiences to become explorers as they uncover fossils, artifacts, folktales, and hidden stories from around the world. Blending imaginative theater with audience participation, the production encourages children and families to piece together clues, interact with characters, and discover how the stories of the past continue to shape our understanding of the present.
From dinosaur discoveries to ancient legends, each performance celebrates curiosity, collaboration, and the power of storytelling through an engaging theatrical experience designed for audiences of all ages.
“We are thrilled to once again bring Yocum’s Summer Theater Tour to libraries and community organizations across Berks County, making professional live theater accessible to families at no cost,” said Kristin Gehris, Yocum Institute for Art Education’s school and community engagement director. “This year’s original production, ‘Digging Up the Past,’ invites audiences to become explorers alongside archaeologists and paleontologists as they uncover clues from long ago; from dinosaurs and ancient civilizations to the Epic of Gilgamesh and lost languages.
With interactive songs, engaging props, and plenty of imagination, this production takes children and families on a fun journey through history while inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning.”
Yocum Institute’s Summer Theater Tour is part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to arts education throughout the region. Last year’s production reached more than 500 community members, and all performances continue to be offered free of charge through partnerships with local libraries and community organizations.
The schedule:
• Monday, 1 p.m., Hamburg Public Library, performance location: First Reformed United Church of Christ, 76 S. Third St., Hamburg
• Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Wernersville Public Library, 100 N. Reber St., Wernersville
• Thursday, 2 p.m., Boyertown Community Library, 24 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown
• Friday, 11 a.m., Robesonia Community Library, 75 S. Brooke St., Robesonia
• July 13, 10 a.m., Fleetwood Area Public Library, performance location: Maidencreek Community Park, 753 Park Road, Maidencreek Township
• July 14, 10 a.m., Mifflin Community Library, 6 Philadelphia Ave., Shillington
• July 16, 2 p.m., Womelsdorf Community Library, 203 W. High St., Womelsdorf
• July 21, 11 a.m., Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library, 8601 Lancaster Ave., Bethel Township
• July 22, 11 a.m., Bernville Area Community Library, 6721 Bernville Road, Bernville
Families are encouraged to attend the performance at the location most convenient for them. Admission is free and no tickets are required.
For more information about Yocum Institute for Arts Education and its summer programming, visit www.yocuminstitute.org or call 610-376-1576.