Olivia Bardo

Olivia Bardo is a poet and baker of bread. She was born and raised along the fringes of the Appalachian Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, instilling in her a love for painting and storytelling. Olivia studied English, politics, and gender studies at Messiah University and had the opportunity to study abroad at Oxford University. Her senior thesis investigated the intersections of self-advocacy and poetic voice within early 20th century women’s magazines.

Olivia served as editor-in-chief of her campus literary journal and as a student fellow in the Center for Public Humanities, a humanities-based social justice initiative. During her time with the center, Olivia advocated for voting rights and researched the rich history of Harrisburg, Penn., and its residents. She also volunteered at Poetry-in-Place workshops, assisting middle school students as they composed poems. She realized her calling to pursue social justice through reading the works of Edwidge Danticat.

Olivia learned of Sojourners through many thoughtful conversations with professors and community leaders dedicated to the common good. In joining Sojourners, Olivia is thrilled to continue carrying out conversations and action that lead to social change.

In her spare time, you may find Olivia with a cup of tea visiting art museums, wandering poetry stacks, and foraging fields of blueberries and wildflowers.