5 Writers of Color Who Should Win the Poets Laureate Fellowship | Colorlines

The New York Times reported Tuesday (January 15) that The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation granted $2.2 million to the Academy of American Poets (AAP). The arts enrichment organization will use $1 million of that money to support the Poetry Coalition, an alliance that counts groups like CantoMundo and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop as members.

The remaining money will fund fellowships of $50,000 to $100,000 to empower state, city, tribal and other domestic poets laureates. A panel of literary authorities, including Natalie Diaz and AAP co-chancellor Natasha Trethewey will announce the grantees in April.