Kara Jackson headshot

Kara Jackson

Writer, Musician, and Performer

Kara Jackson (she/her) is a writer, musician, and performer based in Chicago, Illinois. A daughter of country folks, her work draws a map from the Deep South to the Midwest, where she was raised. Through her work she tries to embody the stories of the women in her family, engaging how the experience of the women who came before her inform her reality in the present. 

Her work has appeared in POETRY, Frontier Poetry, Rookie Mag, Nimrod Literary Journal, The Lily, and Saint Heron. She released her debut album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? in 2023.

Featured Artworks

  •  A Black girl with tattoos playing the guitar. She has short black locks and is wearing a black and white patterned dress. On stage for Celebrate Brooklyn, 2023
  •  A Black girl with tattoos posses with her band on stage with the entire audience. On tour with Allison Russell, 2025 Image by Ella Bursky
  •  Kara Jackson artwork Still from "No Fun / Party" music video, 2022
  •  Kara Jackson artwork Performing at Vic Theatre, 2025 Image by Ella Bursky
  •  A Black girl with tattoos stares into the camera in a still from a music video. She is wearing large hoop earrings and a red turtlenecked shirt. Still from "Pawnshop" music video, 2023 Image by VAM Studios