Dear friends, Here we are. It is back to school time for students, teachers, and staff. It is more of the grind for essential workers keeping necessary services going and fighting Covid from the stockroom to the hospitals. We are battling multiple crises at once - pandemic, fires, storms, hurricanes, voter suppression, and continued police violence and murders. It’s a lot. It’s heavy. And here we are. It can be so overwhelming that your body just stops and you feel confused about what you should do. Listen to your body. Stop. Allow yourself to sit down and not make an immediate decision. You can’t do anything if you don’t take care of yourself first. Once you’ve rested, ask yourself what is one thing you can do today. Maybe it’s sending a thank you note to a friend or colleague. Maybe it’s supporting a small business in your town. Or maybe it is supporting efforts in your community to hold officials accountable and call for change. There is no one way to show up but, please, show up when and how you can. As long as we are here, I have hope. Thank you for being here with me. Onward together, Amanda |
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I'm still supporting the Central Texas Food Bank because people still need to eat. Give what you can. There is too much food in America for people to go hungry. Thank you for sharing. | | |
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ARTIST OF THE MONTH I'm thrilled to be Interfaces' artist of the month for August. Click the link to read an excerpt from the interview. Follow them online to read the full interview when published at the end of the month. Good things going down in Austin! | | |
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NEW ANTHOLOGY I'm excited for this new anthology and happy to have a poem included. They are still accepting submissions, so get at them if you got that work! | | |
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Wild Women of Poetry Showcase Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:00 p.m. Looking forward to the annual Kentucky Women Writers Conference. I'll be reading in the showcase featuring Mahogany L. Browne and Ellen Hagan. Registration is free! | | |
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| | Know what you need to know and how to vote early, by mail, on election day, etc. However you vote, VOTE. | | |
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| | Make a plan to vote. Above is my plan. I'm voting early in Texas. Make a plan and vote early in your state. | | |
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Current jam! Do you know who you are? |
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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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