Yolande Clark-Jackson
Multi-disciplinary Storyteller, Creative Educator
Bridging the gap between literary mastery and pedagogical practice, transforming complex ideas into accessible art and rigorous learning environments.
About Me
I often write to keep the record, to feed my need to make story from memory, to explain myself to myself, and make sense of the world around me. I write to share my thoughts and experiences about care, loss, grief, and joy. I use writing to reflect on my healing journey to connect, relate and perhaps inspire and motivate others. I also write to elevate my ancestors and guide others on how to use words as tools toward healing, reimagining and co-creation.
My work is driven by two pursuits: mastering literary craft and achieving pedagogical precision. In my literary life, I focus on the patient work of translating complexity into art and insight. I'm a writer in a season of expansion; my words and my stories are transcending written language to fill more containers as I grow in my artistic expression.
For schools and organizations, I leverage my background as an educator to design instructional frameworks that transform confusion into clarity, creating intentional spaces for rigor and growth.
Current and Ongoing Projects
I use various containers for my expression, creating spaces where my pedagogy and artistry meet community.
Rocko Rocket: A collaborative project that uses books, video, and curriculum materials to translate the complexities of aerospace ambition into an engaging journey of persistence and discovery for kids.
Visit the Rocko Rocket Website
Wine Down and Write (WDW): Founded in 2019, WDW is a platform for low-stakes creative writing and high-impact connection. Through workshops and a monthly newsletter, I guide others in using writing as a tool for healing and co-creation.
Become a free member on this site for WDW Newsletter prompts and food, wine, and book recommendations.
Between Grief and Joy: A newsletter and digital space dedicated to the healing journey, exploring the intersections of care, loss, and community.
Follow the newsletter here.
Archives and Installations
My research-based work investigates the intersection of history, memory, and ancestral legacy.
In 2021, I was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Earthseed Black Family Archive Project, sponsored by The Auburn Seminary and Northwestern University’s Women’s Center. This project led to a deep investigation of my genealogy and my family’s sharecropping and tenant farming history. I became absorbed by their relationship with cotton and how it shaped their lives and their stories.
When the project ended, I created an art installation at City Arts Gallery in Orlando, Florida (2022). I further expanded on this body of work as a James Weldon Johnson Foundation Artist-in-Residence later that year.
To view images of the exhibit and see which works are available for purchase, click here.