CJ Suitt

CJ Suitt (he,him/they,them) is a performance poet, arts educator, and community organizer from Chapel Hill, NC, whose work is rooted in storytelling and social justice. CJ was the Inaugural Poet Laureate of Chapel Hill, NC.

CJ has co-directed, produced, and starred in many theatrical productions, performed at many national and local music festivals, and organized with groups working to combat the issues of fair housing and poverty. His career as an educator and Restorative Justice practitioner has allowed him to work with young people awaiting trial at the Durham Youth Home, older inmates, and high school and college-aged men pushing to redefine masculinity in their schools and communities. Additionally, he has collaborated with organizations such as Transplanting Traditions, Benevolence Farm, and Growing Change on the intersection of storytelling and food justice.

He is committed to speaking truth to power and aims to be a bridge for communities who can’t always see themselves in each other.