Her name is Loretta Hawkins. The People of Extraordinary Talent, to which she is a member, and Chicago’s poetry scene know her as FIREKEEPER. Tonight I have the honor of capturing her event that will surely be a photo experience.
I met Loretta Hawkins 2 years ago when she joined the P.O.E.T family. Her voice is second to none. She holds her own weight, embodying the spirit of Harriett Tubman in “These Shoes”. Her voice, hard, subtle, strong, melodious, and powerful. She doesn’t have to work at grabbing the attention of any audience, it’s simply a gift that comes with her anointing. She is a retired teacher but she has never stopped educating.
Tonight, at Gallery Guichard, located 436 E. 47th Street in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville community, she will have a 3 Genres Book Signing. This is a culminating event for her recent A Taste of Theater Award for her play “Of Quiet Birds”.
Loretta Hawkins is determined to utilize her remaining time on this earth to release books, poetry, plays, and inspire a young generation to embrace their heritage, their ancestry, their melanin, their history and their future. Chicago’s best kept secret is no more and her work here is not done. Today we celebrate a legend and I am honored to know that a fire of passion for life brews in all of us and FireKeeper is part of that Great Flame!
