Valerie Yvette Peterson: Member of the (DG) Dramatists Guild
I grew up my entire life with both of my parents; something that I know I have been blessed to have been able to experience. I have not been able to provide that same home life with my three girls, but I made sure no matter what, they had their mother. Nevertheless, life did not come without attachments. Growing up in a 2-parent Christian home was something that I have and will always value- I was taught respect, honor, and the love of God. For me, however, one of the most important things to keep in mind was marriage- finding a husband one day and having my children afterwards. Now, marriage was certainly never shoved down my throat by my parents, in fact, they always encouraged me to wait until I got my education and made a way for myself. But for me, I had a different plan; it was initiated by watching my parents through 50 years of marriage. I, too, wanted that commitment and love; as it was more critical to me than anything else---so I thought.
I wrote my first chapbook at 19 years old, a year after high school, and my second chapbook at the age of 31; after 11 years of back and forth college enrollments, I landed my Bachelors Degree at the age of 27. As I traveled throughout my life, I am now 50 years old. I have had two marriages (one at 19 years of age and the other at 31 years of age), two divorces and I have three daughters (1 daughter with 1st husband and 2 daughters with 2nd). I have found that throughout the course of my life, my role as a mom was THE most important job I had been tasked with and honored it to the highest. But most everything was fleeting- All except one thing, my love and desire to WRITE and to continue my quest to be the best PLAYWRIGHT! Though indirectly so, my journey, through my walk in life, speaks through my work.
Valerie Yvette Peterson has been writing for over 35 years and has performed her work in various organizations across the country. Her work has been featured in Kontrol Magazine, Stereotypeco.com, Dr. Melinda Silva’s Podcast for Mental Health, Wild Sound Festival Review, Ethically Immoral Podcast, The Numberz Radio Station 96.7, Portland Observer and many others. Her work was recently selected to appear in two Anthologies: Los Angeles Poets for Justice, published by the L.A. Poet Society Press and Moonstone Press, 100 Thousand Poets for Change. Valerie Yvette Peterson was a featured poet for the BIPOC Reading Series for Literary Arts in Portland, Oregon.
Her most recent published work: Fruits Of Our Labor- My Words, My Harvest; A Compilation Of Poetry and Prose, can be found at most retail bookstores. This extraordinary collection chronicles the realities and disparities of divorce, relationships, abortion and mental illness within communities of color; also hosting a YouTube Vlog each Monday evening. Valerie is an Associate Producer for World Arts Foundation Inc., which produces the second-largest Tribute in the Nation for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Valerie Yvette Peterson has worked with the Poetry Society of New York’s Advisory Council as well as Fertile Ground Festival of New Work’s GROW Award Panel, where she helped to create a shift toward equity and inclusion in aspects of BIPOC Artistry. Valerie’s work was selected through PassinArt: A Theatre Company for the Pacific Northwest Multicultural Readers Festival. Furthermore, Valerie Yvette Peterson received a commission from the Portland Playhouse Theatre Company to produce a production for their Community Project: Joy Comes in The Mourning.
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