Our Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

As a precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and care for our community, Just Buffalo Literary Center has postponed a number of events, and we will follow the guidance of Buffalo Public Schools in terms of Just Buffalo Writing Center programming.

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Selected Poetry Fellows

Each year, Just Buffalo Literary Center invites adult poets of all ages and stages of their career to apply for its Poetry Fellowship, which gives one talented writer a cash stipend to live and write in one of the nation’s most vibrant literary cities, plus an opportunity to read at an event curated by Just Buffalo Literary Center. Here is the selected fellow and finalists.

Ashia Ajani

2022 Poetry Fellow

ASHIA AJANI

Ashia Ajani (they/them) is an award-winning Black storyteller soulchild hailing from Denver, CO, Queen City of the Plains and the unceded territory of the Cheyenne, Ute, Arapahoe and Comanche Peoples. They are an environmental justice educator with Mycelium Youth Network and co-poetry editor of The Hopper. Their work explores Black diasporic environmental stewardship, harm & placemaking. Their words have been featured in Sierra Magazine, World Literature Today, Lumiere Review, Atmos Magazine and Eco Theo Review, among others. Their poetry debut, Heirloom, is forthcoming in Spring 2023 from Write Bloody Publishing. They can be found grass-side, sharing a cup of coffee with the sun. // AshiaAjani.com

2022 POETRY FELLOWSHIP FINALISTS

ARIANA BENSON // ArianaBenson.wordpress.com

ERIN MARIE LYNCH // ErinMarieLynch.com

MILICA MIJATOVIĆ // MilicaMijatovic.com

HANTA T. SAMSA // twitter.com/hantatalasamsa

BERNARDO WADE // BernardoWade.com

Porsha Olayiwola
photo credit: Carlie Febo

2021 Poetry Fellow

PORSHA OLAYIWOLA

Visit PorshaOlayiwola.com

2021 POETRY FELLOWSHIP FINALISTS

DANIEL GARCIA // On Twitter (@daniellovesyooh)

BENJAMIN GUCCIARDI // Visit BenjaminGucciardi.com

ANGELA PEÑAREDONDO // Visit AngelaPenaredondo.com

Keith Wilson Just Buffalo Poetry Fellowship

2020 Poetry Fellow

KEITH WILSON

Visit KeithSWilson.com

2020 POETRY FELLOWSHIP FINALISTS

MARY-KIM ARNOLD // Visit MKimArnold.com

NOVA CYPRESS BLACK // On Instagram (@novacypressblack)

ARMEN DAVOUDIAN // Visit ArmenDavoudian.com

BENJAMIN GARCIA // Visit BenjaminGarciaPoet.com

MICHAEL PRIOR // Visit MichaelPriorWriter.com