Her poetry promotes self-esteem, self-respect, self-discipline and love for the unity of humanity. Valentine is also a speaking artist and has presented her original spoken work in many different capacities, as well as the works of others. Nikki Giovanni is one of the most widely-read American poets. Her poetry focuses on the individual and the power one has to make a difference in oneself and, in turn, the lives of others. Last week, Giovanni was on NPR reading aloud an original tweet poem about West Virginia.