Dear friends, Happy Black History Month + Happy Soon Valentine’s Day = Happy Black Love Month! I hope this finds you taking it all in and taking good care of yourself and your loves. I’m happy to see so much good happening - more stimulus support is coming, vaccines are being administered, people are finding ways to care for each other as we continue to be safe and carry on as best as we can. It’s not perfect, but is it ever? Keep going. Start something good and then make it better. Ask for what you need AND what you want. You might be surprised by the blessings that show up. Get you some love and hold on to it. Love yourself and the rest will follow. Onward with love, Amanda P.S. Wear a double mask. Stay safe. |
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AWP PANEL: For Colored Girls' Fam, Friends, Fans: A Celebration of Ntozake Shange Tamara J. Madison, Amanda Johnston, Remica Bingham-Risher, Gabrielle Lawrence-Cormier, JP Howard - This panel is a tribute to poet, playwright, novelist, Ntozake Shange, and her play, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. | | |
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I'm honored Ambassador Daniel Mulhall ready my poem 'Night Hike.' Click to watch. |
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Thankful for Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem that tilted our heads toward light. |
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“What is safe in this burning for survival?” Amanda Johnston turns and turns the question, a high stakes puzzle to unravel, the answers all bound up in love. Tight, spare, minimalist and brimming with mystery, these poems weigh the consequences of every gesture: the opened lock, the raised right hand, the inward reach. “You grip the wheel, knuckles frozen, and press the gas/as clouds drift in and out of your mouth.” With strong resolve, illimitable talent, and a clear reverence for the forebears these poems reach for and find, Amanda Johnston crafts a collection of beauty and daring. Her risks are honest; her voice, vital—I mean absolutely necessary. -Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon | | |
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Want to bring Amanda to your event? Let's connect! Available for online readings, adult and youth workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements. Press Kit | | |
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Cave Canem Foundation is near and dear to my heart. As a fellow and current board member, I know firsthand how Cave Canem supports Black poets with the necessary time, space, and encouragement needed to dream, create, and grow. Thank you for your continued support for this "home for black poetry." | | |
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Get Poetry News & Updates from Amanda Johnston |
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