Lucky Jefferson

05/08/2026

We had such a lovely time at our first-ever Writing Hour 💛
Sharing the optional prompt that was provided—give it a try and drop a line or two in the comments if you feel called to.

Want to join us next time?
We’d love to write with you again on Saturday, May 23rd at 10 AM EST ✍️
Register here: https://bit.ly/LJWritingHourApr26

05/01/2026

We’re dreaming up future workshops, and we’d love your input!

What do you want to learn, explore, or create next?

Take a few minutes to fill out our workshop survey and help us shape programming that reflects our community.

We’re building future workshops with you in mind. Tell us what you’d like to learn, explore, and create together.

03/20/2026

Looking for a little time and space to write?

Join us April 25, at 11AM ET, for the launch of The Lucky Jefferson Writing Hour—part of our National Poetry Month lineup 📖

This virtual hour is a low-pressure, welcoming space to write alongside fellow writers.

Bring whatever you’re working on—a poem, essay, journal entry, or something new. We’ll start with a quick check-in, an optional prompt, then we'll use the hour to write with each other.

🤎 Open to all writers
📬 REGISTER FOR THE APRIL 25 SESSION:

Close out National Poetry Month with us for our very first writing hour! Stuck? Need a dedicated time to write? Looking to expand your writing community? This one's for you.

03/20/2026

“Some fights are inevitable because of our location,” he told me. “It’s the tone of war.”

In our 17th anthology, , Lanae Tipton explores the enduring ties between a father and daughter, where the battles of war echo inside the walls of prison.

Bond Issue – Lucky Jefferson 📧 [email protected] – Inbox Bond 📥 Inbox (4) ⭐ Starred 📤 Sent Select Email Bond Juan Hernandez Pre-Order LJ Shop Read Online Lucky Jefferson Contributors […]

03/16/2026

✂️📧 Finding Poetry in the Everyday

Join Lucky Jefferson & Alex Shapiro on April 4th as we kick off National Poetry Month with a hands-on workshop exploring what makes a text poetic. We’ll transform everyday language—emails, instructions, news articles, and more—into poetry.

Bring a piece of nonfiction prose that resonates with you and discover how small shifts in attention can reveal hidden rhythm and meaning.

✨ Open to writers of all levels.

Sign up here: https://events.humanitix.com/finding-poetry-in-the-everyday

Join Lucky Jefferson and Alex Shapiro for a free 1.5-hour virtual writing workshop designed for writers interested in expanding poetry through the everyday

02/08/2026

Our THIRD new release of the year is here!

In our 17th anthology, , we partnered with Juan Hernandez, a currently incarcerated artist, to bring together the poetry, prose, and art of eighteen currently and previously incarcerated writers and artists, as well as those connected to them and the system.

Enjoy reflections on unconventional bonds - such as the connection between a man and his found record collection, the strength of communal ties, or the relationships formed within the confines of the prison system.

“Bond tells of the experiences, advice, strife, strength, and determination of many who work to sustain relationships, where distance is an obstacle to overcome.”

— Juan Hernandez, Guest Editor

Help us celebrate the writers and artists included in this issue:

Kashawn Taylor
Violent Offender

Sara Shea
Mailing Crossword Puzzles
to a Friend in Federal Prison

Tess Ezzy
For J

Elizabeth Hawes
The Assessment

Lanae Tipton
Struggles, Structure and Sanity

Demetrius Buckley
Posture

Tony Vick
Hands

Stephen Chalker
Iron

Brianna Yancey
Tessering - The 29th Try

Fendy S. Tulodo
Forgive in Mono

Selvyn Tillett
So Close, So Far Away

Corey Devon Arthur
When I Came on the Mountain

Teresa Poquette
To My Son

Franklin McPherson
These Cuffs

Charles L. Wynn Sr.
An Unconventional Marriage

Marc Rosemond
Untitled

Gary K. Farlow
Song of the Prison Gate

Victor Chunga
Excerpts of “In My Time” and comic

Artwork by Lucie Totton, an illustrator and designer who loves creating work that inspires kids through narrative illustrations and whimsical characters. She’s from Washington State, but spent most of her upbringing in Abu Dhabi, UAE. View her work: lucietotton.com

A special thank you to The Awesome Foundation / Awesome Foundation Chicago for funding this work and supporting the publication of writers and artists around the country and world!

Enjoy the issue at luckyjefferson.com/bond

01/25/2026

It’s friggin cold out, but we hope the newest additions to our bring you a little warmth.

We just added 41 new poems and flash fiction pieces.

One of them is “But They Never Taught Us Créole” by Denise Magloire, a piece that moves through memory, food, and the small inheritances that shape us.

Denise writes
“Accras de morue, paté antillais.
We grew up hearing about an island
we visited three summers. At home we
heard the music, held the fabric of the
madras…”

Join us in celebrating these writers:

Denise Magloire
Carol Blaizy D’Souza
Lily Tobias
Alli Schroeder
Seyram Liquenda Klu De-Souza
Spencer Eckart
Ridwan Fasasi
Anastasia Jill
Den Ares
Joshua Walker
Neha Rayamajhi
Ibtisam Shahbaz
Nnamdi Ndiolo
Don Farrell
Marcus Wilson
Eithar M.
Marwa Abu Raida
Talicha J.
Ishani Ray
Litzi Yona
Soonest Nathaniel
Rachel Chitofu
Asma Abike
Noreen Ocampo
Renoir Gaither
Nwajesu Ekpen*si
Fiona Hartmann
David M. Alper
Kashawn Taylor
Dr. Anamika Nath
Cole Hersey
Hajer Requiq
Shantell Powell
Mary McColley
Thomas McComb
Sofia Bagdade
Sara Shea
Catherine Jade Grandorff
Brianna Yancey
Karl Iglesias
Madison Ellingsworth

Enjoy their newly added works and the collection here: https://luckyjefferson.com/365-collection/

Denise Magloire was born and raised in France, and she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Writing in San Diego. Her work has been published in So To Speak and Driftwood. When she’s not writing or daydreaming, Denise can be found dancing in the bathroom or making soup.

Artwork by: Annelise Wu, Annelise (they/them), is a junior majoring in illustration! They are from California, but go to school in Rhode Island. They are currently interning with us in our Creative Arts Program.

01/24/2026

“I’ve never seen books like this.” - a student who stopped by our table.

A big thank you to The University of Chicago and the (UChicago Office of Civic Engagement - College and Career Readiness) for inviting Lucky Jefferson to their College Exploration: Summer Experience Fair.

We had such a great evening sharing our programs and announcing our FIRST temporary youth employee position, supported by the Illinois Arts Council.

Always inspired by the chance to connect with so many curious, creative young people.

01/18/2026

🏠 Issue 7: Awake (Homecoming) is here ✨

Almost a year in the making, this collection is all about finding your way back — back to self, back to community, back to what feels like home.

Through poetry and visual art, celebrates the places that leave the light on for us and says, come on in.

Thank you, Jasmine Barnes, for guest editing!
Cover Artwork: Jordyn Flood

May you all feel a familiarity while reading here:
https://luckyjefferson.com/awake-issue-7/

12/17/2025

🫨 What a year!

As 2025 winds down, we’re filled with deep gratitude: for the writers, artists, engineers-who-secretly-write-poems, and everyone who continues to support us. And for amazing partners like The Book Worm Bookstore, Buddy at the Chicago Cultural Center, Hyde Park Art Center, The Darkroom Chicago who believe in us and inspire us to keep going.

If you adore the arts, joined one of our free programs, work (or have worked) with us, or are just discovering us now, consider supporting with a gift of money, skill, connections, and/or space.

For the first time, we’re raising a set amount of funds ($6,000) to help us navigate these dark and deeply unsettling times.

🥹 HOW?
• Tap the link in our bio + use the form at that bottom of the page
• VENMO us ()
• Send a CHECK - DM for address
• Email us how you’d like to support - [email protected]
• Screenshot this post and copy this link: https://givebutter.com/supportLJ
• Share and boost this post!
• Support our partners!

However you’re able to pour into us, we’re ever grateful. Together, we keep the arts alive.

11/08/2025

😩 Still in shock we pulled off our THIRD Poetry and Prose contest this year.

This time, we received over 600 submissions again; two phenomenal pieces, by Sofia Bagdade and Nnamdi Ndiolo, would emerge and declare themselves the winners.

Lucky Jefferson’s Poetry Winner, Nnamdi Ndiolo, is a shortlist for the Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize (2025). His work is published in New Orleans Review, The Shallow Tales Review, The Kalahari Review, and Konya Shamsrumi.

This year’s judge, Ahmad Almallah, shared some remarks about Ndiolo‘a piece “Testament”:

““This poem deals with matters I think about constantly. I felt a great hunger to see more of the poet’s work on language/body/borders. It imagines and re-imagines the relationship with the so-called “mother-tongue.”

Lucky Jefferson’s Prose Winner, Sofia Bagdade, is a poet from New York City. Her work appears in One Art, The Shore, and Roi Fainéant Press, among other publications. More of her work can be found at sofiabagdade.weebly.com. She finds joy in smooth ink, orange light, and French Bulldogs.

Almallah, shared these remarks about Bagdade’s winning piece “Lady Luck”:

“”Lady Luck” looks at ruin and how memory is always reconstructing from it — through bare words. It reflects on the human inability to stay in the moment by bringing its own moment to us vividly. Every paragraph is its own poem.”

Stay tuned for our 2026 contest!