7 Directions of Service Names LeJuane Bowens as Inaugural Poet Laureate
7 Directions of Service (7DS), an Indigenous-led non-profit focused on environmental justice in rural North Carolina, has appointed Fayetteville's LeJuane Bowens as its first Poet Laureate. Bowens, a prominent literacy advocate, accepted the role after collaborating with 7DS on community projects. His appointment was formalized at a ceremony in Downtown Fayetteville. Bowens has an extensive background in poetry, including performances at the Kennedy Center, Poetry Foundation, PBS, and NPR, a TedTalk episode, and involvement with the NEA for Poetry Out Loud. He views this new position as an extension of his commitment to using poetry for connection, healing, and change, aiming to bring it into schools, communities, and spaces where voices need to be heard. The organization's mission centers on protecting Sacred Places, advocating for the legal recognition of the Rights of Nature, and establishing a land, language, and cultural center grounded in traditional Yesah teachings. 
