Jewel Rodgers

{{short description|American poet}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Jewel Rodgers

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| birth_name = Jewel Rodgers

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| occupation = Teaching artist

| nationality = American

| period = 1990s–present

| genre = Poetry

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Jewel Rodgers is an American spoken word poet who, as of 2025, serves as Nebraska State Poet. She is the first African American to fill the role. Rodgers lives in Omaha.

At the announcement of her selection in January 2025 as the state's official poet, Rodgers performed a spoken-word poem titled "Humble" at the Nebraska Capitol.{{cite news |title=Nebraska's next state poet is a Jewel, first African American to fill role |first=Aaron |last=Sanderford |date=January 6, 2025 |work=Nebraska Examiner |url=https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/06/nebraskas-next-state-poet-is-a-jewel/ }} Governor Jim Pillen selected Rodgers from among the nominees after hearing her recite poetry.{{cite news |title=Jewel Rodgers named Nebraska State Poet |first=Brian |last=Beach |work=Nebraska Public Media |date=January 6, 2025 |url=https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/es/news/news-articles/jewel-rodgers-named-nebraska-state-poet/ }} Rodgers said she intends to use the role as poet laureate to encourage young people to read, to make poetry accessible to all Nebraskans, and to promote other Nebraska authors and artists.{{cite news |title=Jewel Rodgers appointed as first African American Nebraska poet laureate |first=Andrew |last=Ozaki |date=January 7, 2025 |work=KETV 7 ABC Omaha |url=https://www.ketv.com/article/jewel-rodgers-appointed-as-first-african-american-nebraska-poet-laureate/63353526 }}{{cite news |first=Shelly |last=Kulhanek |title=Jewel Rodgers, Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers' daughter, named Nebraska State Poet |date=January 7, 2025 |work=York News-Times |url=https://yorknewstimes.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/jewel-rodgers-heisman-winner-johnny-rodgers-daughter-named-nebraska-state-poet/article_f26ede6e-b486-5e5b-a9c0-77286677b77d.html }}

Rogers appeared in the event "100 Years | 100 Women" at the Park Avenue Armory, an exhibition marking the anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.{{cite web |url=https://www.armoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/100_years_100_women |website=Park Avenue Armory |title=100 Years, 100 Women }}

She works as a teaching artist with the Nebraska Writers Collective. Rodgers runs a group that seeks to create community spaces on vacant lots in North Omaha.{{cite news |title=Jewel Rodgers on Community-Focused Real Estate Development |url=https://www.kios.org/show/riverside-chats/2023-09-18/jewel-rodgers-on-community-focused-real-estate-development |date=September 18, 2023 |work=KIOS NPR }} She attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln and New York University. Her father is football player Johnny Rodgers.