“The Children Are Watching” Written & Performed by Tish Jones at The Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the Timberwolves Halftime Event. January 11, 2026

Art. Cultural Impact. Education.

Poet, cultural producer and educator from Saint Paul, MN, Tish Jones is an award winning artist with a deep and resounding love for Black cultural expression and ways of knowing. She infuses those practices into her artistic aesthetic, organizing, and pedagogy. Jones has created curriculum, organized international festivals and events, toured one-woman shows, performed original works of poetry, rap music, and song, and more. Read more on how to engage with Tish below!

  • Performance Poetry, Emceeing, Hip Hop Theater, Voiceovers, and more.

  • Event Production, Event Planning, Director of Events, Event Host, Project Management, Panelist, Public Speaking, Keynotes, Consulting, and more.

  • Residencies, Workshops, Lesson Plan & Curriculum Development, Teaching Resources (Lesson Plans, Modules, etc.), Products/Tools for the classroom, Lectures, Professional Development for Educators, and more.

Just Writing Prompts

The Second Edition

A writing prompt deck for poets interested in exploring social justice topics, poetic devices and form, or for a quick bit of inspiration! Created by poet, Tish Jones, this deck is designed to inspire creativity and challenge writers to consider justice in the creation of new work. A great gift for new and seasoned writers alike and a marvelous educational tool!

The Second Edition includes new prompts, giving poets enough material for a 30/30!

Buy Now!

“Art is the language of the spirit."

- Tish Jones

Fellowships, Awards, and Recognition (Snapshot)

Legacy Builder Award | Frogtown Neighborhood Association and 825 Arts

Sweeter the Juice Fellowship | More than A Single Story

2024 Facing Race Award Recipient | Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation

2026

McKnight Culture Bearer Fellowship

Sally Award for arts vision | The Ordway

2024

2025

2026

2024

  • Midwest Black Book Fair

    2PM HOW DOES THE MIDWEST SHAPE ITS BLACK WRITERS?

    Members of More Than A Single Story’s mid-career writers cohort, Sweeter the Juice, will discuss how their work as writers and artists has been inspired by the Midwestern landscape, history, and artistic precedents set by Black authors who hail from the middle of the nation such as Gwendolyn Brooks, Toni Morrison, Hanif Abdurraqib and others.

  • Central Honors Philando

    Central Honors Philando is an annual community gathering honoring Philando Castile - beloved SPPS cafeteria supervisor at J.J. Hill Montessori and a proud graduate of St. Paul Central High School. Each year we come together for food, music, and connection while raising funds for the Philando Castile Scholarship at the St. Paul Central High School Foundation.

    Hosted by Tish Jones in 2026

    Click Here

  • Born on the Fourth of July: From Mississippi to Minnesota

    Born on the Fourth of July: From Mississippi to Minnesota, a new interdisciplinary performance and installation by Makers Series artist Queen Drea.

    Through music, poetry, layered sound design, oral history and family archives, Queen Drea traces her mother’s journey from Mississippi to Chicago and Minnesota. The work explores Black womanhood, migration, caregiving, memory and legacy across generations. A conversation moderated by Tish Jones will follow the performance.

    The one-night-only performance will take place Friday, August 28 at 7 p.m. at the Barbara B. Barker Center for Dance at the University of Minnesota.