When Jessica Monte moved to Brambleton in the summer of 2012, she could never have imagined how this community would change her life or the impact she would make on those around her.
She’s become a force in Brambleton and Loudoun County, dedicating her life to enriching the arts and building education opportunities for young poets in the area. Here’s what drew her to the area, what keeps her there, and the incredible work she’s doing with youth in Brambleton and beyond.
A professor of English at Marymount University, Monte was drawn to Brambleton when looking for a walkable neighborhood where she could raise her children. She’s a vibrant personality who prioritizes staying active, and she walks the paths and trails through Brambleton nearly every day. Finding a community with access to nature and neighborhood parks with water was a dream.
From her son’s marching band performances to her daughter’s musical theater and choir performances, Monte is invested in the schools in the area and is proud of the high-quality education available to her children and others in Brambleton.
Monte has also worked to immerse herself in the community. She loves hearing the stories of her neighbors and appreciating the beauty and culture that comes with living in a diverse community.
“Whenever I drive home from work, I see my neighbors outside playing with their children and walking their dogs,” says Monte. “My neighbors also care about each other. When we’ve experienced tragedy or hard times, we help each other out by making meals, watching children, and shoveling driveways.”
The Brambleton Library is another one of her favorite parts of living in the area. A lifelong enthusiastic reader, Monte appreciates the state-of-the-art facility and its wonderful technology resources, as well as the maker space and recording studio that are available for residents. From the Brambleton Library events to the teen micro gallery, which is coordinated by Troy Wingard, this is a space that has made an indelible mark on her family. “The gallery is one of my favorite places to see art in Loudoun and I think it’s pretty neat that it features our young people,” says Monte.
Monte’s connection to the Brambleton Library runs even deeper, thanks to her work with the Loudoun Youth Poet Laureate Program, which is hosted weekly at the library.
She volunteers with Loudoun Community Press, which is a youth publishing organization. When one of the organization’s participants, Kashvi Ramani, became the Arlington Youth Poet Laureate and later the Virginia Youth Poet Laureate, Monte saw a need and an opportunity to start the Loudoun Youth Poet Laureate program.
With the help of the National Youth Poet Laureate Program’s Director, Camea Davis, who leads research at the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, Monte applied to start the program and launched it just months later. She also advocated for a Poet Laureate position and served on the Loudoun County Art Advisory Committee, aiding in the completion of a comprehensive art study.
“Spoken word art is a powerful medium that connects people of all backgrounds. I am grateful that I get to be part of this new program,” says Monte.
In partnership with Loudoun County Public Library teen services, the program has hosted a poetry workshop with Arlington Poet Laureate Emerita Holly Karaptakova and provided open mic events for teens.
There is also a free poetry curriculum available for teachers, and the program is hosting a poetry workshop with Ramani, who is now studying performance at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
For young poets who are interested in the program, Monte recommends they submit three original poems and a brag sheet or resume that highlights their commitment to their communities through acts of service. “I would direct young poets to our free poetry curriculum should they need help writing their poetry,” says Monte. “Last, I encourage young people to have fun with their words and to be themselves. Every word spoken is unique.”
Monte’s work is committed to the power of the arts to inspire and connect people, and Brambleton and Loudoun County have given her the diverse community to help that mission thrive.
“The arts invite conversations among people from multiple backgrounds and points of view, and they provide a means for uncovering solutions to difficult problems,” says Monte. “One of the beautiful parts about being human is that we all have different lives and experiences; the arts allow us to share these experiences for a fuller understanding of what it means to be human.”
Monte hopes that her work with the Loudoun Youth Poet Laureate program brings young people and adults together to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and establish mutual respect and appreciation. And she would love to see this program inspire others. Loudoun County may be a tech hub, but she believes it’s the arts that will help us uncover creative solutions to the challenges that face people and the world.
Jessica’s journey since moving to Brambleton in 2012 is a testament to the transformative power of community and creativity. Through her work establishing the Loudoun Youth Poet Laureate program and advocating for the arts, she has empowered young voices and fostered connections across generations. Her passion for enriching lives through shared perspectives reflects the spirit of Brambleton, a vibrant, diverse community where neighbors connect and opportunities abound.
