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Shawn R. Jones

@poet.srj

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Graduate of @mfacamden/ Winner of 2022 Lexi Rudnitsky Prize/2023 Civitella Ranieri Fellow/Author of DATE OF BIRTH & Owner of @ttutoringllc

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Just ten days remain to submit your first full-length poetry collection via Submittable for the Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize. The winner receives publication and a life-changing six-week residency in Italy at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation!

Join then legacy of women like Alexandra Teague, the 2009 prizewinner for MORTAL GEOGRAPHY, pictured above in the Civitella Ranieri courtyard. Alexandra has since published three poetry collections with Persea.

Swipe to see Civitella portraits of other previous winners.

Susannah Nevison won the 2014 prizewinner for the fever-dream collection TERATOLOGY. These first two photos notwithstanding, we swear you don’t have to wear a blue dress at Civitella!

Emily Van Kley won the 2017 award for THE COLD AND THE RUST, a tender, heartwarming collection about growing up queer in Michigan’s frigid Upper Peninsula

We cannot in good conscience recommend drinking wine while swinging one-handed like 2016 prizewinner Molly McCully Brown—but Civitella does tend to make poets giddy and adventurous.

Here is Shawn R. Jones, 2022 prizewinner for DATE OF BIRTH, with one of the many windows Civitella opens for our poets

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This nor’easter may have postponed Homecoming, but it’s the perfect weather to cozy up and read. May we suggest a book by one of the five Rutgers–Camden alumni who were slated to showcase their work at our Alumni Authors table? 📚 (You can find more books by our alumni on our MFA Program website!)

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I ran my first (and only?😂) 5K today, something I thought I’d never do for so many reasons!

At 13, I had one of many bone tumors removed from my leg and lost the ability to walk. My parents had to carry me to the bathroom for weeks before I could relearn to walk with crutches. At the time, I beat myself up for feeling ashamed of my scars and my disabilities. But now, I can look at that time with a softer gaze. I think of that younger version of myself and feel grateful for her courage, patience, and tenacity. She’s the reason I can move through life with strength and gratitude. This run was for that frizzy-haired, Limited Too–loving girl and the incredible people whose love and support keeps me going 🏃🏾‍♀️

Second picture is me, the moment I saw my parents by the finish line 😁😁

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Thursdays is a vibe ✨️ The crew slaying my version of Dai Dai for Zumba class 🥹💃🕺❤️
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🎵 Dai dai 🎤 @shakira @burnaboygram
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#zumba #daidai #shakira #burnaboy #dance

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Tonight fifteen winners of the Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize, spanning 18 years, celebrated the publication of DON'T LET IT KILL YOU by Theo LeGro (1988–2026), the extraordinary 2025 winner, by reading beautifully from the book.

#lexirudnitsky #theolegro #poetrycommunity #firstbook

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We hope you'll join us on Zoom on June 2nd for a special celebration of the publication of DON'T LET IT KILL YOU by Theo LeGro (1988–2026), featuring readings from the book by previous winners of the Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in Poetry. Free and open to all!

“Theo LeGro's poetry does what poetry is supposed to: It tells the truth about the brutalities of survival without ever forsaking the tender beauty of life. Relentless and irreverent, the poems in Don't Let It Kill You transform dive bars and operating rooms, haunted houses and strangers' beds into thresholds of revelation. A stunning debut that stands as a testament to LeGro's singular voice.”—Hala Alyan

#poetry #celebration #booklaunch

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Thanking God for 38 years of life today. From ‘90s Camden, New Jersey to two appearances on Japanese television. Now I’m currently deep in the completion of my own documentary, @dreamenginefilm.

God has been good to me and my family. The success of this journey is all due to Him…🙏🏾❤️‍🔥

Thank you for following this page and journey. I hope you enjoy what we’ve been working on! Social media usage has been down, but the next few months will require maximum focus. The algorithm is temporary, but @dreamenginefilm will be forever.

Let’s keep pushing! ❤️

#gratitude #thankyou #filmmaking #documentary

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We are so grateful to everyone who attended our 25th anniversary celebration, including @6abcactionnews who shared our story on the evening news!

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Hello everyone, I am excited to announce that the full RCC Television Documentary is now available on YouTube after airing in Japan.

Feel free to watch the video if you have the time (bio link). There are many special moments encapsulated within, so I will make a couple of posts highlighting them later on.

*This is a Japanese broadcast, but I still recommend turning off auto dubbing for best results*

I would like to take a moment to thank RCC, Mazda Motor Corporation, and the people of Hiroshima for welcoming @shotayaguchifilms and I. I would also like to thank my family and friends (especially @20b_bully , @cleotuned and my fellow rotorheads of @rotaryspiritusa) in the United States who participated.

I would like to also reserve a very special thank you for Kawada-san, whose words warmed my heart. Kawada-san survived the atomic bombing in August 6th 1945, but sadly almost everyone she knew lost their lives. I will never forget the wonderful moments I’ve spent with her. She is a truly amazing woman.

I am currently in the editing process of the final documentary, entitled THE DREAM ENGINE.

The final documentary will represent the culmination of this story that began with an average American guy and his love for a sports car. It evolved into a life changing journey spanning the globe. I’m still an average guy, but the people I’ve met during this journey are anything but ordinary.

Thank you so much for your support. God Bless you all!

Onward to @dreamenginefilm !

#documentary #filmmaking #rx7 #jdm

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Yesterday, TT celebrated its 25th year in business and its first anniversary in our new building. I’m incredibly grateful that I not only get to do fulfilling work that I love but that I get to share it with my amazing parents and staff and the wonderful families and communities who make me whole.

25 years ago, my mom asked me to help an older student of hers in math. I was 9 but had watched my mom and my grandmother teach with compassion and confidence, and I was so excited to emulate them. From that moment on, I have felt a deep love for education and helping students of all ages thrive and feel excited about learning. Over these past two decades, it has been the joy and honor of my life to work with kids and adults who continuously show up with openness and teach me something new about myself and my work with every lesson.

Thank you to everyone who continues to uplift and encourage us on this journey. We feel so honored to have your trust and your support. Thank you to everyone who attended yesterday and to everyone cheering us on from afar, to Rexy’s Restaurant for hosting, and to Action News for sharing our story. Everyone deserves to learn in an environment where they feel cared for and celebrated, and we’re so grateful we get to do our part.

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What a night!

Special thanks to our poets, Liz Chang, Chad Frame, Shawn R. Jones, Joanne Leva, Ethel Rackin, Lorraine Henrie Lins, Hayden Saunier and Cleveland Wall for their moving, restorative and beautiful poetry, and big, BIG thanks to our wonderful audience for providing direction and encouragement. Hope it was as inspiring for you all as it was for us!

Be sure to join us again on Wednesday, March 11th at 7:00 pm.

And check us out, LIVE, at Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 28th at 3:00 pm!

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