Speakers

Chris Abani

NYT Bestselling Novelist
Nigerian-born Poet
PEN Freedom to Write

Elizabeth Acevedo

Performance Poet & Novelist
National Book Award
National Slam Champion
FYE: The Poet X

Diane Ackerman

NYT Bestselling Author
Naturalist, Essayist, Poet
FYE: Zookeeper's Wife
FYE: The Human Age

Ekiwah Adler-Beléndez

Mexican Poet
Disablity Advocate
Love on Wheels

Osama Alomar

Acclaimed Syrian Author
Flash Fiction/Poetry
Fullblood Arabian
The Teeth of the Comb

Molly Antopol

Short Story Writer
The UnAmericans
5 Under 35 Honoree
O. Henry Prize

Simon Armitage

U.K. Poet Laureate
Forward Prize, UK
Translation: Sir Gawain
Lyricist: The Scaremongers

Peter Balakian

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
Memoir: Black Dog of Fate
Memoir: Armenian Golgoth
Essays on Social Thought

Coleman Barks

Acclaimed Poet
Premier Translator of Rumi
Hummingbird Sleep: Poems
J Hollister Interfaith Award

Samiya Bashir

Acclaimed Poet
Field Theories
Finalist Lambda Lit Award
Mixed Media Readings

Ellen Bass

Award-winning Poet
Beloved Teacher
Lambda Lit Award
Bestselling Nonfiction Author

Jill Bialosky

Memoirist, Poet, Novelist
Professional Editor
Memoir: History of Suicide
Poetry: The Players

Frank Bidart

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
National Book Award
NBCC Award-winner
LGBT Themes

Eula Biss

Nonfiction Writer
Essayist & Critic
NBCCA Winner
FYE: On Immunity

Sherwin Bitsui

Native American Poet
Structure in Ecopoetics
PEN Open Book Award
Poems: Flood Song

Richard Blanco

Inaugural Poet Laureate
Cuban-American Writer
Gay Rights Advocate
FYE Memoir: Los Cocuyos

Amy Bloom

NYT Bestselling Novelist
Short Story Writer
Novels: Lucky Us • Away
National Magazine Award

Daniel Borzutzky

Award-winning Poet
National Book Award
Translator from Spanish
Immigration Politics

Julian Talamantez Brolaski

Native American Poet
Its Pronoun is It
Poems: Of Mongrelitude

Jericho Brown

Acclaimed Poet
American Book Award
Gay Rights Advocate
The New Testament

Mahogany L. Browne

Spoken Word Poet
YA & Children's Author
Performer & Activist
Black Girl Magic

Augusten Burroughs

NYT Bestselling Memoirist
Running with Scissors
Lust & Wonder

Stephanie Burt

Critic, Poet & Essayist
NBCC Award Finalist
LGBTQ Themes

Bonnie Jo Campbell

Bestselling Novelist
Short Story Writer
Once Upon A River
American Salvage

Marcelo Hernandez Castillo

Mexican Poet & Translator
Immigration Advocate
LGBTQ Themes

Tina Chang

Acclaimed American Poet
Brooklyn Poet Laureate
Literacy & Education
Race, Culture, Identity

Chen Chen

Chinese American Poet
T. Gunn Gay Poetry Award
Issues of Immigration
Issues of Identity

Geffrey Davis

Award-winning Poet
Finalist Hurston/Wright Legacy Award
Issues of Family & Addiction

Kwame Dawes

Ghana-born Jamaican Poet
Novelist and Essayist
Emmy: LiveHopeLove
Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius

Natashia Deón

Acclaimed Novelist
Faith in Writing
Immigration Attorney
Novel: Grace

W. S. Di Piero

Distinguished Poet
Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize
Personal Essays: City Dog
Art Essays: Out of Eden

Bryan Doerries

Social Impact Theater
Graphic: The Odyssey of...
Translator of Ancient Greek
FYE: The Theater of War

Mark Doty

Distinguished Poet
National Book Award
NYT Bestselling Memoirist
Dog Years: A Memoir

Andre Dubus III

#1 NYT Bestselling Novelist
House of Sand and Fog
Poverty & Violence Issues

Carol Ann Duffy

Poet Laureate of UK
Playwright
Poems: Bees • Rapture
Children's: The Tear Thief

Camille Dungy

Award-winning Poet
NBCCA Finalist in Criticism
Acclaimed Essayist
Women's Issues

Cornelius Eady

Poet, Lyricist, Playwright
Co-Founder of Cave Canem
Hardheaded Weather
Rough Magic: Lit Band
Katja Esson

Katja Esson

Documentary Filmmaker
Cantineros de Cuba
Poetry of Resilience
Skydancer (Mohawk Life)

Bernardine Evaristo

Award-winning Novelist
Booker Prize Winner
Activist for Inclusion

Beth Ann Fennelly

Acclaimed Poet & Essayist
Micro-Memoirist
Mississippi Poet Laureate
On Motherhood

Nick Flynn

Acclaimed Poet & Memoirist
Poetry: My Feelings
Film: Being Flynn
Memoir: Another Bullshit...

Carolyn Forché

Award-winning Poet
Poetry of Witness
Human Rights Advocate
Translator: Claribel Alegria

Aminatta Forna

Award-winning Novelist
Acclaimed Memoirist
Issues of War and Peace
The Memory of Love

Carrie Fountain

Award-winning Poet
YA: I’m Not Missing
NPR Podcast Host
Josh Fox

Josh Fox

Director of Gasland Films
How to Let Go & Love
LennonOno Peace Award
Experimental Theater

John Freeman

Cultural Critic
Acclaimed Essayist
Editor of Freeman's
Poet: Maps

Mary Gaitskill

Acclaimed Fiction Writer
Nat'l Book Award Finalist
Novels: Veronica • The Mare
Short Story: Don't Cry

Forrest Gander

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
Ecological Poetics
Novelist & Essayist
Translator from Spanish

Cristina Garcí­a

Cuban-American Writer
Novelist & Poet
Young Adult Author
Novel: King of Cuba

Alex George

Bestselling Novelist
Unbound Book Festival Founder

Natalie Goldberg

Bestselling Author & Poet
Writing Down The Bones
Buddhist Themes
Visual Artist

Adam Gopnik

Int'l Bestselling Author
Memoir and Fiction
Essay and Criticism
The Moth Storyteller

Jorie Graham

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
Forward Prize
Environmental Advocate
Poems: Place • Sea Change

Sara Gruen

NYT Bestselling Novelist
Water for Elephants
Animal Rights Advocate
Keynote Speaker

Nathalie Handal

Poet & Playwright
Nonfiction & Travel Writer
Dislocation, Home & Exile
Arab American Book Award

Joy Harjo

US Poet Laureate (2019-20)
NAMMY winning Musician
Essays: Soul Talk, Soul...
FYE Memoir: Crazy Brave

Saidiya Hartman

NYT Bestselling Novelist
Khmer Rouge Survivor
Refugee and Exile Issues
FYE: Shadow of the Banyon

Terrance Hayes

Distinguished Poet
MacArthur "Genius" Award
National Book Award
Visual Artist

Juan Felipe Herrera

US Poet Laureate (2015-17)
Performer & Activist
Children's & YA Books

Brenda Hillman

Acclaimed Poet
Griffin Poetry Prize
Environmental Advocate
Non-Violent Activist

Pam Houston

Acclaimed Novelist
Short Story Writer
Essay Writer
Animals, Outdoors, Nature

Marie Howe

Acclaimed Poet
NYS Poet Laureate (2014)
Speaker on Faith
Kingdom of Ordinary Time

Vanessa Hua

Acclaimed Novelist
Short Story Writer
Asian/Pacific Amer Award
Immigration Issues

Noah Hutton

Documentary Filmmaker
Deep Time (ND Oil Boom)
Bluebrain Project (Science)
More To Live For (Cancer)

Major Jackson

Acclaimed Poet
NBCCA Finalist
NAACP Image Finalist
Poems: Roll Deep

Jonathan M. Katz

Award-winning Journalist
Political Writer
Haiti, Epidemic, Disaster
FYE: The Big Truck That...

Douglas Kearney

Acclaimed Poet
Mixed Media Readings
CLMP Firecracker Award
Race, Culture & Identity

Ted Kooser

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
United States Poet Laureate (2004-2006)
Essays & Childrens Books

Keetje Kuipers

Award-winning Poet
Essayist & Story Writer
Culture & Identity
On Motherhood

Deborah Landau

Acclaimed Poet
Anhinga Poetry Prize
The Uses of the Body
The Last Usable Hour

Li-Young Lee

Chinese American Poet
Poetry of Resilience
Poems: Behind My Eyes
Themes: Faith & Exile

Nikola Madzirov

Award-winning Poet
Macedonian Poetry Prize
Remnants of Another Age
Themes: Exile & Refugees

Taylor Mali

Performance Poet
Education Advocate
What Teachers Make
Bouquet of Red Flags

Dawn Lundy Martin

Poet, Critic, Essayist
Video Artist & Performer
Kingsley Tufts Award
LAMBDA Literary Award

Hisham Matar

Pulitzer Prize for Memoir
Acclaimed Libyan Novelist
Issues of Exile
Fathers and Sons

Heather McHugh

Distinguished Poet & Critic
MacArthur "Genius" Award
Griffin Prize: Translation
Founder of CareGifted

Erika Meitner

Poet & Essayist
Social Critic
Jewish Book Award
Motherhood, Race, Identity

Dunya Mikhail

Iraqi Poet & Memoirist
Arab American Book Award
Sumerian Writing
The War Works Hard

Rajiv Mohabir

Indo-Carribbean Author
Award-winning Poet
Essayist & Translator
LGBTQ Issues

Rick Moody

Bestselling Novelist
Acclaimed Memoirist
Essays: Celestial Music
Novel: Hotels of America

Honor Moore

Memoirst, Biographer, Poet
Memoir: Bishop's Daughter
Biography: White Blackbird
Poetry: Red Shoes

Valzhyna Mort

Acclaimed Belarusian Poet
Translator of Slavic
Collected Body
Factory of Tears

Sir Andrew Motion

UK Poet Laureate (1999-09)
Dylan Thomas Prize Winner
Biographer and Novelist
Autobiographical Prose

Daniyal Mueenuddin

Pakistani-American Author
Short Story Writer
Pulitzer Prize Finalist

Eileen Myles

Acclaimed Poet and Novelist
Art Journalist and Essayist
Lambda Pioneer Award
LGBTQ Activist

Okey Ndibe

Nigerian American Author
Novels, Memoir, Essays
Commentator & Humorist
Issues of Immigration

Marilyn Nelson

Poet-as-Historian
Frost Poetry Prize
YA: American Ace
Children: Snook Alone

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Asian-American Poet
Poetry & Nature
Poems: Lucky Fish

Pádraig Ó Tuama

Acclaimed Irish Poet
Theologian and Mediator
Peace & Reconciliation
LGBTQ Inclusion

Meghan O’Rourke

Award-winning Memoirist
Acclaimed Poet
Essay & Criticism
Issues of Grief & Healing

Gregory Orr

Poet, Memoirist, Essayist
Poetry and Survival
How Beautiful the Beloved
Memoir: The Blessing

Ladan Osman

Somali-born Poet
Essays on Race
Issues of Immigration
Gender & Displacement

Alicia Ostriker

Distinguished Poet
Jewish Book Award
Poetry & Spirituality
Poetry & Politics

Molly Peacock

Poet & Performance Poet
Memoir, Biography, Essay
Childless by Choice
Creativity in Later Years

Patrick Phillips

Poet & Nonfiction Writer
Nat'l Book Award Finalist
Award-winning Translator
FYE: Blood at the Root

Rowan Ricardo Phillips

Award-winning Poet
Literary & Visual Art Critic
Translator from Catalan

Katha Pollitt

Poet, Essayist, Writer
NBCC Award for Poetry
Columnist for The Nation
PRO: Abortion Rights

Francine Prose

NYT Bestselling Author
Fiction, Nonfiction, Essay
Dayton Literary Peace Prize
Reading Like A Writer

Ernesto Quiñonez

Acclaimed Novelist
Bodega Dreams
Oral Storyteller
Latino Trendsetter Award

Claudia Rankine

Poet & Playwright
NYT Nonfiction Bestseller
NBCCA & Forward Prize
FYE: Citizen

Vaddey Ratner

NYT Bestselling Novelist
Khmer Rouge Survivor
Refugee and Exile Issues
FYE: Shadow of the Banyon

Alberto Ríos

Mexican-American Writer
Nat'l Book Award Finalist
Poet Laureate of Arizona
Culture & Identity

Robin Robertson

Acclaimed Scots Poet
Forward Prize Winner
Translator of Transtromer
New Version: Medea

Roxana Robinson

Shortlist IMPAC Award
Novels: Sparta & Cost
Art Scholar & Ecologist
Georgia O'Keeffe: A Life

Sarah Ruhl

Award-winning Playwright
Essayist, Critic, Poet
MacArthur “Genius” Award
Tony Award Nominee

Sapphire

Bestselling Novelist
Performance Poet
Social Justice Activist
FYE: Push | Film: Precious

George Saunders

NYT Bestselling Writer
Man Booker Prize Winner
MacArthur "Genius" Award
FYE: Tenth of December

Saïd Sayrafiezadeh

Award-winning Memoirist
Acclaimed Story Writer
New York Times Essayist
When Skateboards Will...

Philip Schultz

Pulitzer Prize winning Poet
Acclaimed Memoirst
Jewish Topics
FYE: My Dyslexia

Tim Seibles

Acclaimed Poet
Nat'l Book Award Finalist
Race Relations
Virginia Poet Laureate

Vijay Seshadri

Indian-born Poet
Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
Poems: 3 Sections
Essayist & Reviewer

Charles Simic

Yugoslavian-born Poet
Pulitzer Prize Winner
United States Poet Laureate (2007-2008)

Emily Skillings

Acclaimed Poet & Teacher
Feminist Intertextualities
Nature & the Environment
Poetry: Fort Not

Maggie Smith

Award-winning Poet
Good Bones (viral poem)
Poetry & Nature
Faith, Spirituality, Healing

Tracy K. Smith

US Poet Laureate (2017-19)
Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
Memoir: Ordinary Light
Nat'l Book Award Finalist

Michael Thomas

Novelist & Memoirist
IMPAC Dublin Award
Novel: Man Gone Down
Memoir: The Broken King

Gioia Timpanelli

Renowned Storyteller
Acclaimed Fiction Writer
American Book Award
Sometimes the Soul

Daniel Torday

Acclaimed Novelist
Short Story Writer
Essayist & Critic
Jewish Book Award

Natasha Trethewey

Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
United States Poet Laureate (2012-2014)
FYE: Native Guard

Brian Turner

Acclaimed Soldier-Poet
Memoirist & Essayist

Crystal Valentine

Poet, Educator & Activist
Nat’l Poetry Slam Finalist
Queer Intersectionality
NYC Youth Poet Laureate

Mai Der Vang

Acclaimed Hmong Poet
W. Whitman Award-winner
Themes: Exile & Refugees
Poems: Afterland

Jenny Xie

Chinese American Poet
W. Whitman Poetry Award
Immigration & Dislocation
Poems: Eye Level

Lidia Yuknavitch

Bestselling Novelist
Acclaimed Memoirist
LGBTQ Issues
Misfit's Manifesto

Adam Zagajewski

Acclaimed Polish Poet
Griffin Lifetime Recognition
Essayist & Memoirist
Two Cities: Exile, History...

Javier Zamora

Salvadoran Poet
The Migrant Experience
Themes: Exile & Refugees
Poems: Unaccompanied

Raúl Zurita

Acclaimed Chilean Poet
Poems: Purgatory