Lessons by Jonathan
Jonathan Samuel Eddie is a fourth generation educator with a passion for youth empowerment, creative expression, and community building. A teaching artist, spoken word comedian, actor, activist, and writer, Jonathan is a graduate of Georgia Southern University.
With his unique brand of comedic poetry, he has competed nationally and regionally, ranking among the top poets in the world. Jonathan’s poems, which draw inspiration from Black pop culture and lived experience, have been featured on Write About Now, The Root, and All Def Poetry. He was a 2018 runner-up in The Missouri Review’s Miller Audio Prize for Humor for his original piece, “Black Folks Ain’t Always Late.”
Jonathan travels the nation, offering K – 12 students insight and tools on using creativity as a means for emotional health, personal growth, and professional prosperity.
With 15 years of experience, he has developed curricula and workshops that set the stage for identifying, processing and coping with difficult emotions, situations, and subject matter. Jonathan was recognized with the 2022 Leadership Award by the Georgia After School & Youth Development Conference for exemplifying excellence in the field of expanded learning. He was also included on Georgia Trend Magazine’s 2020 “40 under 40” list, recognized for community efforts.
Jonathan is the founder/director of the Fountain City Teen Poetry Slam, Inc. in Columbus, Georgia. Through writing and performance workshops, poetry slams, and community service, he has witnessed hundreds of young people harness the power of their voices for over a decade. He is extremely honored to be a 2022 Apollo Stories Fellow.
