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  Writers! 🚨 Today is the LAST DAY to REGISTER for Kweli International Literary Festival featuring workshops, craft talk...
10/16/2025

Writers!

🚨 Today is the LAST DAY to REGISTER for Kweli International Literary Festival featuring workshops, craft talks and MORE, with award-winning authors of color and top industry agents & editors!

REGISTRATION CLOSES today, Thurs, OCT 16!

🎟️ SIGN UP on our website to get full access to !

Registration includes full-day, weekend-long OPENING PROGRAM, OCT 18-19

➕ CLOSING EVENT w/ NYT bestselling author Megha Majumdar on TUESDAY, NOV 18!

Megha’s novel, A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF, (released this week) has *already* been named a finalist for this year’s National Book Award and Kirkus Prize

…AND was just selected as Oprah’s Book Club Pick for October 2025 🌟

‼️ Seats for the closing event are LIMITED and only open to registered festival attendees. Megha’s keynote conversation will focus deeply on craft—so don’t miss your chance to learn from one of the most celebrated authors working today!

🎟️ REGISTER TO JOIN US:
https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page

As always, the festival features master classes, panels and conversations on the Novel, Memoir & more, tailored specifically for Black, Indigenous, People of Color ( ) writers, led by acclaimed authors of color, including:

✨ Keynote Speaker: Aaliyah Bilal (National Book Award Finalist)
✨ Keynote Speaker: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (National Book Foundation “5 Under 35”)
✨Edwidge Danticat (MacArthur Fellow)
✨Sarah Aziza (Palestine Book Awards Finalist)
✨Nicole Dennis-Benn (National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award Finalist)
✨Princess Joy L. Perry (Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award)
✨Xochitl Gonzalez (Pulitzer Prize Finalist)
✨Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (National Book Critics Circle Award)
✨Martha S. Jones (Guggenheim Fellow)
✨Dinaw Mengestu (MacArthur Fellow)

See the program schedule and full roster of faculty and 🎟️ REGISTER NOW on our website at the link below 👇🏿👇🏾👇🏽👇🏼

https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page


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⏰ Writers of color, it’s your LAST CHANCE to REGISTER for Kweli International Literary Festival featuring workshops, cra...
10/15/2025

⏰ Writers of color, it’s your LAST CHANCE to REGISTER for Kweli International Literary Festival featuring workshops, craft talks and MORE, with award-winning authors of color and top industry agents & editors!

REGISTRATION MUST CLOSE Thurs, October 16!

🎟️ SIGN UP on our website to get full access to !

Registration includes full-day, weekend-long OPENING PROGRAM, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

➕ CLOSING EVENT w/ NYT bestselling author Megha Majumdar (megha.maj) on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18!

Megha’s novel, A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF, (released October 14, aaknopf) has *already* been named a finalist for this year’s National Book Award and Kirkus Prize

…AND was just selected as Oprah’s Book Club Pick for October 2025 🌟

‼️ Seats for the closing event are LIMITED and only open to registered festival attendees. Megha’s keynote conversation will focus deeply on craft—so don’t miss your chance to learn from one of the most celebrated authors working today!

🎟️ REGISTER TO JOIN US:
https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page

As always, the festival features master classes, panels and conversations on Novels, Memoir & more, tailored specifically for Black, Indigenous, People of Color ( ) writers, led by acclaimed authors of color, including:

✨ Keynote Speaker: Aaliyah Bilal (National Book Award Finalist)
✨ Keynote Speaker: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (National Book Foundation “5 Under 35”)
✨Edwidge Danticat (MacArthur Fellow)
✨Sarah Aziza (Palestine Book Awards Finalist)
✨Nicole Dennis-Benn (National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award Finalist)
✨Princess Joy L. Perry (Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award)
✨Xochitl Gonzalez (Pulitzer Prize Finalist)
✨Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (National Book Critics Circle Award)
✨Martha S. Jones (Guggenheim Fellow)
✨Dinaw Mengestu (MacArthur Fellow)

See the full program schedule and roster of faculty and 🎟️ REGISTER NOW on our website at the link below:

https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page

⏰ Writers of Color, there’s still time to join us!! REGISTER NOW for Kweli International Literary Festival, featuring wo...
10/14/2025

⏰ Writers of Color, there’s still time to join us!!

REGISTER NOW for Kweli International Literary Festival, featuring workshops, panels, and MORE with award-winning authors of color and top industry editors and agents!

REGISTER on our website at the link 👇🏿

https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page


Registration grants you full access to weekend-long opening program Sat, OCT 18 – Sun, OCT 19 at New York Law School, featuring master classes, craft talks, keynotes and conversations, and more, exclusively for Black, Indigenous, People of Color ( ) writers, led by the most celebrated authors of color working today, including:

🌟 Edwidge Danticat (MacArthur Fellow)
🌟 Nicole Dennis-Benn (National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize Finalist)
🌟 Xochitl Gonzalez (Pulitzer Prize Finalist)
🌟 Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (National Book Critics Circle Award)
🌟 Martha S. Jones (Guggenheim Fellow)
🌟 Dinaw Mengestu (MacArthur Fellow)

The weekend’s programming covers novels, essays, memoir, and short stories, as well as the business of publishing with senior editors from Simon & Schuster and MORE.

Registration also grants you access to in-person and virtual festival events, including craft talks, multimedia readings and more through November 18!

Our 2025 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS are bestselling authors
🌟 Aaliyah Bilal (National Book Award Finalist)
🌟 Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree)
🌟 Megha Majumdar (National Book Award Finalist, Oprah Book Club Pick)

See full faculty roster and schedule on our website at the link 👇🏿

https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page


Please SHARE and TAG writers of color in your community, particularly new and emerging BIPOC writers who may be seeking a safer space to learn and connect!

REGISTRATION MUST CLOSE Thurs, October 16!



ICYMI  👇🏿 👇🏾 👇🏽  🎉 Kweli International Literary Festival registration is OPEN! 🎉 Join us in-person for opening weekend O...
10/12/2025

ICYMI 👇🏿 👇🏾 👇🏽

🎉 Kweli International Literary Festival registration is OPEN! 🎉

Join us in-person for opening weekend OCT 18 - 19 at New York Law School for workshops, keynotes and convos, as well as the year’s best chance for emerging writers to connect w/ agents and editors!

KweliLitFest continues through NOV 13 with in-person and virtual workshops and craft talks.

Faculty this year includes:

🌟 Edwidge Danticat Edwidge Danticat
🌟 Nicole Dennis-Benn
🌟 Lauren Francis-Sharma
🌟 Xochitl Gonzalez
🌟 Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
🌟 Martha S. Jones
🌟 Dinaw Mengestu Dinaw Mengestu
+More

The keynote roster this year features beloved authors of color

🌟 Aaliyah Bilal (National Book Award Finalist),
🌟 Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree)
🌟 Megha Majumdar (National Book Award Finalist).

See our full faculty roster and schedule on our website at the link!
👉🏿 https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page

As always, our program is tailored to meet the specific challenges that we, who hail from the Global South, face as well as the unique opportunities and stories we have to tell!

Please SHARE and TAG writers of color in your community, particularly new and emerging BIPOC writers who may be seeking a safer space by and for us!

Our heartfelt gratitude to our festival cover artist Patrick Dougher and to our partners at New York Law School and Akwaaba Brooklyn.

We can’t wait to see y’all!

🎟️ REGISTRATION info on our website:
https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page

🎟️ Kweli International Literary Festival Registration is NOW OPEN!!Join us this fall. Our hybrid festival features virtu...
10/08/2025

🎟️ Kweli International Literary Festival Registration is NOW OPEN!!

Join us this fall. Our hybrid festival features virtual and in-person readings and conversations with debut and award-winning BIPOC writers, craft talks, workshops and much more. KweliLitFest25 is the year’s best opportunity to connect with agents, editors, and fellow creatives of color during the opening weekend of the festival.

As always, it’s our honor to invite longstanding beloved authors of color to speak alongside recent debuts and rising stars who are generous enough to share their honest publishing journeys with you, as well as shine a light on the most urgent issues of the day through their art.

It is our privilege to share that this year’s keynote speakers will be:

🌟 Aaliyah Bilal (National Book Award Finalist),
🌟 Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (National Book Award Finalist)
🌟 Megha Majumdar (Finalist for Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence and National Book Award Finalist)

They will join us for opening and/or closing events in October.

Festival Opening Weekend will be held on Sat, OCT 18 - Sun, OCT 19, in-person at New York Law School (NYLS) in New York City.

The weekend program will include Sarah Aziza (2025 Palestine Book Awards Finalist), Edwidge Danticat (2009 MacArthur Fellow), Yohanca Delgado (2021 - 2023 Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University), Nicole Dennis-Benn (2016 Finalist for National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award), Xochitl Gonzalez (2023 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Commentary), Martha S. Jones (2025 Guggenheim Fellow), Dinaw Mengestu (2012 MacArthur Fellow), along with other highly acclaimed writers, as well as groundbreaking debut authors.

Multimedia readings and performances will take place at Akwaaba in Brooklyn throughout the fall.

AND the festival continues virtually through November 15 with the Art of the Novel and Art of the Essay Craft Talks and Master Classes curated for writers of color by teaching artists, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (2022 National Book Critics Circle Award), Princess Joy L. Perry (winner of the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award),
+ MORE.

See the full program schedule, faculty, and registration info at the Kweli website
👇🏿👇🏾👇🏽

https://www.kwelijournal.org/2025-international-literary-festival-main-page


🎉 Writers of color, get ready!   is coming up October 18-28! By us, for us: Kweli International Literary Festival 2025 i...
09/29/2025

🎉 Writers of color, get ready! is coming up October 18-28!

By us, for us: Kweli International Literary Festival 2025 is exclusively for emerging writers of adult literature, led by some of the most celebrated writers of color working today.

The festival opens with a weekend-long program, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 through SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19 nylawschool featuring master classes, craft talks, and more, and closes on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28 with a multimedia event at Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns (NY, NJ, DC) Brooklyn!

Opening weekend FEATURED WRITERS incl. Sarah Aziza (sarahazizawrites), Edwidge Danticat, Xochitl Gonzalez (xochitltheg), Nicole Dennis-Benn (ndennisbenn), Dinaw Mengestu (Dinaw Mengestu) & more 🤩

It’s our pleasure to introduce this year’s KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

🌟 Aaliyah Bilal (theliyahwan), author of groundbreaking debut collection TEMPLE FOLK (simonandschuster), portraying the lived experiences of Black Muslims grappling w/ faith, family & freedom in America, which was a 2023 National Book Award for Fiction. Her debut memoir CLOUD COUNTRY, a graphic novel in progress depicting the ups & downs of being Black in contemporary East Asia, is forthcoming

🌟 Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (king_nk), is a National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 honoree whose widely acclaimed debut collection FRIDAY BLACK (Mariner Books), was an NYT bestseller, won the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award & was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Award. His first novel CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS (Pantheon Books), was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction & an NYT Top Ten Books of the Year, among a long list of honors

🌟 Megha Majumdar (megha.maj) is the widely acclaimed debut author of NYT bestselling novel A BURNING, which was nominated for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize & the Carnegie Medal, among many honors. Her highly anticipated second novel A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF is forthcoming from Alfred A. Knopf!

Watch this space for REGISTRATION COMING UP 👀

Please SHARE & TAG an emerging writer of color who needs a safer space to learn and connect 💓


🌞   writers, Don’t let another writing summer slip away!  JOIN US for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story W...
07/15/2025

🌞 writers, Don’t let another writing summer slip away!

JOIN US for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Workshop, led by Laura Pegram.

The six-week intensive for short story writers & novelists of color features in-class writing exercises, close study of acclaimed works, detailed peer review, and most importantly, a safer space for all people of color, including Black, Indigenous, SWANA, AAPI & Latine writers at all levels to create and connect in community, as well as to receive close attention from an editor who has worked with several celebrated authors of color.

Enrollment is limited so REGISTER today on our website at the link below:

https://www.kwelijournal.org/the-art-of-the-short-story-workshop-junejuly-2025

📅 DATES: 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19
🕰️ TIME: 6:30PM-8:30PM EST
👩🏾‍💻 FORMAT: Online

Lit fam, please SHARE with your people!


Find STRENGTH in COMMUNITY this summer!  JOIN US for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Workshop, led by L...
07/09/2025

Find STRENGTH in COMMUNITY this summer!

JOIN US for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Workshop, led by Laura Pegram.

The six-week intensive for short story writers & novelists of color features in-class writing exercises, close study of acclaimed works, detailed peer review, and most importantly, a safer space for all people of color, including Black, Indigenous, SWANA, AAPI & Latine writers at all levels to create and connect in community, as well as to receive close attention from an editor who has worked with several celebrated authors of color.

Enrollment is limited so REGISTER today on our website:

https://www.kwelijournal.org/the-art-of-the-short-story-workshop-julyaugust-2025


📅 DATES: 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19
🕰️ TIME: 6:30PM-8:30PM EST
👩🏾‍💻 FORMAT: Online

Lit fam, please SHARE with your people!

📣   writers, Find STRENGTH in COMMUNITY this summer!  JOIN us for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Works...
06/15/2025

📣 writers, Find STRENGTH in COMMUNITY this summer!

JOIN us for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Workshop, led by Laura Pegram.

This six-week intensive for short story writers & novelists of color features in-class writing exercises, close study of acclaimed works, detailed peer review, and most importantly, a safer space for all people of color, including Black, Indigenous, SWANA, AAPI, Latine and LGBTQ+ writers at all levels to create and connect in community, as well as to receive close attention from an editor who has worked with several celebrated authors of color.

Enrollment is limited so REGISTER today on our website:

👉🏿 https://www.kwelijournal.org/the-art-of-the-short-story-workshop-junejuly-2025

📆 DATES: 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28
🕰️ TIME: 6:30PM-8:30PM EST
👩🏾‍💻 FORMAT: Online

Lit fam, please SHARE with your people!


⏰ TONIGHT! There’s still time to join us for Kweli’s SING THE TRUTH Book Tour with award-winning author Susan Muaddi Dar...
06/12/2025

⏰ TONIGHT!

There’s still time to join us for Kweli’s SING THE TRUTH Book Tour with award-winning author Susan Muaddi Darraj at eastcitybookshop in DC today, THURSDAY 6/12 @ 7PM.

In-person & streamed online so you can tune in from anywhere!

🎟️ 𝐑𝐒𝐕𝐏 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭 ➤

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hybrid-event-sing-the-truth-laura-pegram-tickets-1360952859639?aff=authorlink

We’re honored to present this evening of reading, Q&A, and community conversation w/ SING Editor & Kweli Founder, Laura Pegram, and contributing author, Susan Muaddi Darraj, the author of American Book Award–winner, A CURIOUS LAND, and a finalist for a Palestine Book Award. A United States Artists’ Ford Fellow and past winner of the Maryland State Arts Council’s Independent Artist Award, she is also the author of FARAH ROCKS, the first children’s book series to feature a Palestinian American character 🍉

Susan’s brilliant short story and groundbreaking voice exemplifies the spirit of this collection.

All proceeds from this anthology directly benefit Kweli Journal, supporting its mission to nurture emerging writers of color and foster a vibrant literary community.

📣 Join us TOMORROW! Kweli’s SING THE TRUTH Book Tour hits the road with award-winning author, Susan Muaddi Darraj at eas...
06/11/2025

📣 Join us TOMORROW!

Kweli’s SING THE TRUTH Book Tour hits the road with award-winning author, Susan Muaddi Darraj at eastcitybookshop in DC on THURSDAY 6/12 @ 7PM.

In-person & streamed online so you can tune in from anywhere!

🎟️ 𝐑𝐒𝐕𝐏 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 ➤

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hybrid-event-sing-the-truth-laura-pegram-tickets-1360952859639?aff=authorlink

We’re honored to present this evening of reading, Q&A, and community conversation w/ SING Editor & Kweli Founder, Laura Pegram, and contributing author, Susan Muaddi Darraj, the author of American Book Award–winner, A CURIOUS LAND, and a finalist for a Palestine Book Award. A United States Artists’ Ford Fellow and past winner of the Maryland State Arts Council’s Independent Artist Award, she is also the author of FARAH ROCKS, the first children’s book series to feature a Palestinian American character 🍉

Susan’s brilliant short story and groundbreaking voice exemplifies the spirit of this collection.

All proceeds from this anthology directly benefit Kweli Journal, supporting its mission to nurture emerging writers of color and foster a vibrant literary community.

Find STRENGTH in COMMUNITY!  JOIN us for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Workshop, led by Laura Pegram....
06/10/2025

Find STRENGTH in COMMUNITY!

JOIN us for the next cycle of Kweli's Art of the Short Story Workshop, led by Laura Pegram.

This six-week intensive for short story writers & novelists of color features in-class writing exercises, close study of acclaimed works, detailed peer review, and most importantly, a safer space for all people of color, including Black, Indigenous, SWANA, AAPI, Latine and LGBTQ+ writers at all levels to create and connect in community, as well as to receive close attention from an editor who has worked with several celebrated authors of color.

Enrollment is limited so REGISTER today on our website:

https://www.kwelijournal.org/the-art-of-the-short-story-workshop-junejuly-2025

📆 DATES: 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28
🕰️ TIME: 6:30PM-8:30PM EST
👩🏾‍💻 FORMAT: Online

Lit fam, please SHARE with your people!

     

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