#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.

Black Poets Speak Out (BPSO) began as a response to a conversation initiated by Amanda Johnston. Jericho Brown, Mahogany Browne, Jonterri Gadson and Sherina Rodriguez-Sharpe responded to the call with ideas, suggestions and various plans of action. What resulted was a hashtag video campaign housed on a tumblr site featuring hundreds of videos from Black poets reading in response to the grand jury’s decision on November 24, 2014 not to indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who murdered Mike Brown. 

Click "learn more" for free resources and videos. 

Austin Justice Coalition (AJC) is a community organization that focuses on improving the quality of life for people who are Black, Brown, and poor. Since 2015, AJC has served as a catalyst for positive change towards economic and racial equity for Austin’s people of color by developing, organizing, and providing robust programs and events. AJC’s big four areas of advocacy are education, policing, civic engagement, and community building.

Poets.org is featuring a digital Black Lives Matter anthology online. I'm proud to have my poem "Facing US" included along with so many incredible poets offering their work in the fight for justice on and off the page.  

“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

Want to bring Amanda to your event?  Let's connect! Available for online readings, adult and youth workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements.

Press Kit

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."