Purpose Over Popularity with LeJuane "El'Ja" Bowens

When art is personal, playful, and purposeful, it can change the way people learn and connect. In Episode. 185, Dr. Diane talks with poet, teaching artist, and speaker LeJuane “El’Ja” Bowens about poetry, workshops, civic engagement, and why the next generation gives him hope.

El'Ja shares how a 10th-grade poetry project sparked his love of writing, how an open mic after the military helped him realize poetry could become a career, and how his work as a teaching artist grew from one workshop into a mission. He also talks about making poetry accessible for kids of all ages, using creative writing to invite participation, and designing workshops that feel more personal than academic.

Our conversation explores purpose over popularity, the role of art in civic engagement, and why poetry can be both fun and deeply meaningful. If you love poetry, teaching, creativity, and conversations about the arts as a force for connection, this episode is for you.

Chapters

• 02:08 – How El'Ja became a poet.
• 04:05 – Becoming a teaching artist.
• 06:18 – What makes a workshop work for wide age ranges.
• 09:01 – Making poetry fun and accessible for young learners.
• 10:26 – Using themes, choices, and play in creative writing.
• 14:55 –El'Ja shares the poem “Perfect.”
• 17:20 – Purpose over popularity.
• 18:58 – What El'Ja believes art is for.
• 19:40 – Art, civic engagement, and the TEDx talk.
• 23:14 – What currently brings hope.

Links

• Follow LeJuane “El’Ja” Bowens
• Watch El'Ja's TEDx talk
• Buy El'Ja's books

Call to Action

If this episode speaks to you, share it with a teacher, poet, artist, or anyone who believes creativity matters. Subscribe, rate, and review Adventures in Learning, and keep the conversation going about poetry, purpose, and the power of art.