On Canada Day July 1st 1994 pj johnson the daughter of a Yukon trapper was formally invested and given the title Poet Laureate of the Yukon during a ceremony in Whitehorse where she became the first officially-invested poet laureate in Canada.
As an oral/visual artist from a northern storytelling culture her poems, stories, plays and songs have been televised and performed at various venues across Canada and around the world. Her creative works have been published in books and journals globally; translated into several languages, and published widely.
Diagnosed with a learning disorder called ‘Nonverbal Learning Disorder’ or NLD in 2005, pj johnson encourages people with a learning disability to realize they can still pursue their dreams.
Active in the arts for decades as an oral/visual storyteller, mentor and performer at various venues across Canada, johnson is also an author, playwright, actor, musician, composer, teller of stories and Yukon ambassador. – If it’s creative she’s probably been there.
Known as the Yukon Raven Lady, in 1985 johnson led a successful campaign to have the northern raven declared the official symbol of the Yukon Territory. She is also a passionate animal rights advocate currently campaigning to protect the northern sled dogs.
On Canada Day July 1st 2021 pj johnson celebrated her 27th anniversary as Poet Laureate of the Yukon. She is the longest-serving Poet Laureate in Canada.
Her book “it’s howlin’ time!” about the life and times of a northern Canadian poet laureate is available at Mac’s Fireweed Books and on Amazon. Her Official Website is located at: https://www.yukonpoetlaureate.com/
You can also join pj on Facebook and on Twitter!