Charity E. Yoro received the Stafford/Hall Award for Poetry at the 2025 Oregon Book Awards. Her journey as a poet began in seventh grade, influenced by her teacher, Ms. Jones. Yoro relocated to Portland from California due to her husband's job and later moved to Colorado. Although she has found success in Oregon, she maintains a strong connection to Hawaii, where her family resides, and addresses its challenges in her work. Yoro also emphasizes the importance of practice in writing, considering all experiences as material for growth and creativity.
"Ms. Jones introduced me to creative writing as an outlet for my adolescent angst. I was working through some pretty deep stuff at that period of my life. Not to be dramatic, but I do believe that poetry, along with the mentorship of Ms. Jones and the general impact of a quality liberal education, saved me during those years."
"Hawaii is where my grandparents, parents, and most other family still live, and it will always be home. The issues Hawaii faces, from wildfires to land rights, are ones I will advocate for and write about, no matter where I am living in the world."
"Everything is practice. As in, everything you read - or otherwise encounter, write, and publish - is material. And the material (publication, book, etc.) is not necessarily the end product."
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