The Desert Nights, Rising Stars
Writers Conference

What is it like to be a poet of color in a literary world dominated by white men? What does it mean to be a writer of color without an MFA walking the hallways of the academy’s ivory tower that continue to colonize spaces of color? Writers of color will engage in a discussion exploring questions that are common while existing in a white man’s literary world. Participants will look at two poems and one essay that showcases how writers of color historically have nurtured their authentic voice and given a voice for the silenced. We will explore work of writers of color to generate more conversation around solutions we can use to experiment with strategies physically in our writing to navigate and push the boundaries of the old white man’s canon. Participants will share their stories, experiences, and strategies they’ve used that has help them to survive and be successful. The discussion will create community, healing, and the voices they use in their work that represents their communities.