Chris Abani

NYT Bestselling Novelist
Nigerian-born Poet

Ariel Aberg-Riger

Visual Storyteller
2023 Kirkus Prize
2024 YALSA Nonfiction Finalist

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

NYT Bestselling Novelist
PEN/Jean Stein Book Award
National Book Award Finalist

Anastacia-Reneé

Author, Educator, Interdisciplinary Artist
Award-winning Poet

Raymond Antrobus

Rathbone Folio Prize
Communication, Connection, Cultural Inheritance

Fatimah Asghar

Acclaimed Poet, Novelist, Screenwriter
National Book Award Longlist

Destiny O. Birdsong

Award-winning Novelist & Poet
2021 PEN/Voelcker Award Longlist

Richard Blanco

Obama's Inaugural Poet
Poetry Education Ambassador

Jericho Brown

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
The Tradition

Mahogany L. Browne

Poet, Performer & Organizer
Black Girl Magic

Stephanie Burt

Critic, Poet & Essayist
NBCC Award Finalist

Marcelo Hernandez Castillo

Poet & Translator
Immigration Advocate

Vanessa Chan

Bestselling Novelist
Former Technology Executive

Tina Chang

Acclaimed American Poet
Race, Culture, Identity

Meg Day

Award-winning Poet
Poetry Editor for Quarterly West

Medar de la Cruz

Illustrator & Cartoonist
Library Advocate

Natashia Deón

Acclaimed Novelist
Immigration Attorney

LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs

Interdisciplinary Poet and Sound Artist
Whiting Award

Bryan Doerries

Theater of War Productions
Translator of Ancient Greek

Cornelius Eady

Poet, Lyricist, Playwright
Co-Founder of Cave Canem

Safia Elhillo

Award-winning Poet
Arab American Book Award
National Book Award Longlist

Bernardine Evaristo

Award-winning Novelist
Booker Prize Winner

Tarfia Faizullah

Poet & Translator
Pushcart Prize-winning Author

Carolyn Forché

Award-winning Poet
Memoir: What You Have Heard Is True

Kimiko Hahn

Acclaimed Poet & Teacher
Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize

Joy Harjo

US Poet Laureate (2019-22)
NBCC Lifetime Achievement Award
Memoirs: Crazy Brave, Poet Warrior

Terrance Hayes

MacArthur "Genius" Award
National Book Award

Juan Felipe Herrera

US Poet Laureate (2015-17)
Performer & Activist

Jonathan M. Katz

Award-winning Journalist
Haiti, Epidemic, Disaster

Khaled Mattawa

Award-winning Poet & Author
Culture, Narrative, Memory

Rajiv Mohabir

Indo-Carribbean Poet
Memoir: Antiman

Eileen Myles

Acclaimed Poet and Critic
Lambda Pioneer Award

Claudia Rankine

NYT Bestselling Author
NBCCA & Forward Prize

Bushra Rehman

Award-winning Novelist & Poet
Lambda Literary Award Finalist

Philip Schultz

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
Acclaimed Memoirst

Nicole Sealey

Forward Prize
Former Executive Director of Cave Canem (2017-2019)

Sun Yung Shin

Poet, Writer & Cultural Worker
Minnesota Book Award

Aisha Sabatini Sloan

Writer, Curator, Artist
Lambda Literary Award

Chris Stedman

Author & Activist
Host of Unread

Danté Stewart

Acclaimed Memoirist
Belonging & Religion

Nafissa Thompson-Spires

Award-winning Fiction Author
PEN Open Book Award

Natasha Trethewey

US Poet Laureate (2012-2014)
Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet

Mai Der Vang

Acclaimed Hmong Poet
Exile & Refugees

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Novelist & Memoirist
Literary & Social Activist

Anne Waldman

Writer, Editor, Teacher
Award-winning Poet
Co-Founder of The Poetry Project

Frank B. Wilderson III

Award-winning Author
Poet, Scholar, Activist

Tamara Winfrey-Harris

Acclaimed Writer
Dear Black Girl

Lidia Yuknavitch

Bestselling Novelist
Acclaimed Memoirist

Ibi Zoboi

Award-winning YA Novelist
National Book Award Finalist
American Street