If you’re lucky, you may be someone whom Jackie Braje ’15 has written poetry for on an old typewriter — a signature offering of The Poetry Society of New York, where she serves as chief creative officer and deputy executive.

Through this initiative, typewriters are set up in public spaces, inviting writers and strangers to connect in ways “unexpected and beautiful,” as Braje puts it. Inspired by the New York School of poets of the mid last century, who emphasized collaboration and pushed the boundaries of language, this effort Braje oversees is an example of how writing and community are constants in her life.

A proudly proclaimed “friend of poets,” Braje spends her days writing, teaching writing to art and design students at The New School, leading poetry intensives at Poets House (where she took her first poetry workshop in 2017), and overseeing operations for PSNY, an organization dedicated to creating fun and innovative experiences that honor the art of poetry.

But her writing and event development experience began as an undergraduate at UTampa.

An English major, Braje was the arts and entertainment editor for The Minaret and edited the Neon undergraduate literary journal. She also organized open mic nights at the Rathskeller, underneath Plant Hall.

Her inspiration to pursue her literary ability was ignited in Professor Emerita Kathleen Ochshorn’s first-year writing course. Ochshorn encouraged Braje to pursue creative writing in addition to studying English and later became her advisor and a “wonderful force in my life,” Braje said. From there, her dedication to becoming a professional writer began. The two continue their friendship to this day.

When Braje graduated in 2015, she moved to New York City to pursue music journalism. But the more she studied language and read poetry, the more she realized poetry was her true calling.

“I love language and the experience of taking this beautiful, intangible thing and putting it down concretely on paper,” Braje said.

Braje registered for classes at Poets House and became the first person hired by the co-founders of PSNY. Later, she was accepted to the MFA program at Brooklyn College as one of only 10 poets in her cohort. There, she worked with renowned writers like Monica de la Torre and Ben Lerner and wrote a collection of poetry for her thesis, one of her proudest achievements.

Still at PSNY today, Braje oversees the Typewriter Poetry initiative, which has brought poets and their typewriters to the Met Opera, Louis Vuitton-hosted events, New York Fashion Week and beyond, as well as the annual New York City Poetry Festival, which draws thousands of attendees each year.

“It’s really beautiful to see thousands of people gathered around this little stage and listening to incredible poetry,” Braje said.

Braje’s work can be found in VOLT magazine, Ugly Duckling Presse, The Minnesota Review, and is published in I Feel Nothing Like Good, a new anthology from Taylor & Co. Books.