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, INC. A Home For Black Poetry

2018 ANNUAL REPORT

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Cave Canem Foundation, Inc. 20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A Brooklyn, NY 11201-8301 © 2018 CAVE CANEM FOUNDATION, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TABLE OF CONTENTS ANNUAL RETREAT “I have faith in my work MISSION Cave Canem’s flagship retreat, annually held at the that I never had before. I am Letter from the President ...... 1 at Greensburg, Pennsylvania, offers considering myself as a serious Cave Canem Foundation an unparalleled opportunity to join a community of peers writer and that my work means Cave Canem Awarded 2018 Spark Prize is a home for the many and study with world-class faculty. Once accepted to something serious to the state of voices of African American the retreat, poets become lifelong “fellows.” Cave Canem contemporary arts and letters.” boasts a high-achieving fellowship of more than 450. Annual Retreat...... 2 poetry and is committed to —2018 Cave Canem Fellow cultivating the artistic and professional growth of Community Achievements ...... 3 African American poets. THIRD-YEAR GRADUATING FELLOWS

Public Programs ...... 4-5 FELLOW PROFILE Photo credit: Jayhoun Allebaugh

The Team From left to right: Brionne Janae, Matthew Broaddus, Cortney Lamar Charleston, Dustin Pearson, Jessica Lanay, Essence London & Maya Marshell Institutional and Individual Donors ...... 6 CAVE CANEM AWARDED 2018 SPARK PRIZE Financial Report Cave Canem was named a recipient of Brooklyn FACULTY Community Foundation’s Every year, a distinguished cohort of the country’s most second annual Spark Prize, influential, daring and groundbreaking poets make up the a distinction that includes a faculty at Cave Canem’s retreat. The recipient of a 2018 Guggenheim fellowship, grant award of $100,000. a National Book Critics Circle Award nominee and a Cave Canem fellow, Tyehimba Jess is the LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT THIS YEAR’S FACULTY author of , which won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, and Leadbelly, which won the Dear friends and supporters, 2004 .

We are proud to present you with Cave Canem Foundation’s “Single handedly, [Cave 2018 Annual Report. Founded in 1996 by poets Canem] has been responsible and Cornelius Eady, Cave Canem Foundation has become the CHRIS ABANI CORNELIUS EADY for fostering the careers of leading “home for black poetry.” Board of Trustees Professor, English Professor, MFA Program in Creative Writing and at ; winner, Literature at SUNY Stony Brook Southampton; hundreds of black poets who Guggenheim Award finalist, 1999 Pulitzer Prize in Drama Please find enclosed details on the organization’s recent have gone on to win nearly From left to right: Cave Canem co-founder Cornelius developments. This includes highlighted achievements over Eady, executive director Nicole Sealey, Cave Canem every poetry award and book fellow Zakia Henderson-Brown and board member the past year—such as Cave Canem receiving the 2018 Spark Tyehimba Jess receive the Spark Prize at the Spark prize available.” Prize—and fellows being awarded several of the highest Breakfast ceremony. —Fellow and Pulitzer literary honors. We are continuing on the path of new growth, Prize-winner Tyehimba Jess structure and leadership to help champion our mission of remedying the under-representation and isolation of African EVIE SHOCKLEY AMBER FLORA THOMAS American poets. Professor, English at Rutgers Professor, Creative Writing at University; finalist, 2018 East Carolina University; winner, “Receiving the Spark Prize Pulitzer Prize in Poetry Richard Peterson Poetry Prize; GUEST POET Warmly, highlights our influence beyond winner, Ann Stanford Poetry Prize the literary arts. Cave Canem is also a service and justice- FORMER FACULTY Parneshia Jones, President oriented organization for the Elizabeth Alexander Erica Hunt Ed Roberson Cave Canem Foundation, Inc. Cyrus Cassells Angela Jackson Sonia Sanchez, Elder people of Brooklyn.” Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon Major Jackson Tim Seibles —Isissa Komada-John, Grants Manager Lucille Clifton, Elder Ruth Ellen Kocher Ntozake Shange (1936–2010) Yusef Komunyakaa Reginald Shepherd Kwame Dawes Dawn Lundy Martin Evie Shockley Toi Derricotte Colleen J. McElroy Harryette Mullen ROBIN COSTE LEWIS C. S. Giscombe Marilyn Nelson, Elder Afaa M. Weaver, Elder Provost's Fellow, Poetry and Visual Studies Michael S. Harper, Elder Willie Perdomo Al Young, Elder at the University of Southern California; (1938–2016) Carl Phillips winner, 2015 National Book Award in Poetry Terrance Hayes Claudia Rankine

1 Cave Canem Foundation Cave Canem Foundation 2 COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS BOOKS PUBLISHED PUBLIC PROGRAMS Awards garnered by Cave Canem fellows, faculty and Cave Canem’s 2018 program offerings reached more than BOOK PRIZES elders include, among many others, the Pulitzer Prize, the 3,000 audience members through nearly 45 public pro- WINNER, National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle grams and contracted over 160 artists. Programs included 2018 CAVE CANEM POETRY PRIZE: Award and the National Poetry Series award. Cave Canem Legacy Conversations with poets and scholars who have Malcolm Tariq’s Heed the Hollow fellows have 325+ books in print. MAHOGANY L. BROWNE historically played important roles in black poetry; a Black Girl Magic: A Poem Lectures & Master Classes Series, bringing thought and WINNER, 2018 TOI DERRICOTTE & CORNELIUS scholarship to the forefront; rare opportunities to work SELECT AWARDS AND HONORS EADY CHAPBOOK PRIZE IN POETRY: with accomplished poets through community-based Mia S. Willis’ monster house. writing workshops; Poets on Craft, featuring mid-career poets in conversation with each other; and New Works WINNER, 2018 CAVE CANEM NORTHWESTERN MITCHELL L.H. Readings, showcasing the latest publications from the UNIVERSITY PRESS POETRY PRIZE: DOUGLAS Cave Canem community. Through our growing institu- Tsitsi Jaji’s Mother Tongues Dying in the tional partnerships, our organization offered residencies Scarecrow’s Arms ELIZABETH ACEVEDO SAFIA ELHILLO to and secured speaking engagements through our Winner, 2018 National Book Award Recipient, 2018 Ruth Lilly and Poets Tour program for Cave Canem fellows. in Young People's Literature Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg for The Poet X; winner, 2018-19 Poetry Fellowship Book Award PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS Kelly-Strayhorn Theater Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Bryant Park Reading Room Langston Hughes Community Library SELF-CARE, VULNERABILITY Center for African American Poetry and Cultural Center AND RESILIENCE: DISARMING & Poetics Rose O’Neill Literary House CORNELIUS EADY INTERSECTIONAL MICROAGGRESSIONS The War Against Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown the Obvious City College of New York Millay Colony Brooklyn Museum Vermont Studio Center New York City Department Community of Writers at Squaw Valley of Environmental Protection

RICKEY LAURENTIIS JUSTIN PHILLIP REED Winner, 2018 Whiting Award Winner, 2018 National Book Award in Poetry for Indecency

JULIAN RANDALL Refuse A MASTER CLASS WITH Finalist, NAACP Image NICOLE L. JACKSON, PH.D. Award for Outstanding The second installment in Cave Canem’s Literary Work in Poetry Anti-Oppression Series, a set of workshops that facilitate conversations about institutional oppression and how to challenge it.

ALISON C. ROLLINS EVIE SHOCKLEY Winner, 2018 Rona Jaffe Winner, 2018 Hurston/Wright A TRIBUTE TO JUNE JORDAN Foundation Writers’ Award Legacy Award in Poetry; This day-long conference offered an intergenerational finalist, 2018 Pulitzer Prize TRACY K. SMITH exploration of the legendary poet's life, work and legacy. in Poetry for semiautomatic Wade in the Water: Poems “I will never forget this class Shortlisted, 2018 Forward The tribute included panels, discussions and readings Prize for Best Collection; with more than a dozen Cave Canem fellows, attracting because it gave me what I've shortlisted, T.S. Eliot Prize an audience of nearly 400. always wanted but never thought (or dared dream) PARTNERS I could have.” Center for the Humanities at The Institute for Research on the African the Graduate Center, CUNY Diaspora in the Americas and —Workshop Participant Lost & Found: The CUNY Poetics the Caribbean (IRADAC) Document Initiative The Feminist Press at CUNY NATASHA TRETHEWEY The June M. Jordan Literary Estate Trust DANEZ SMITH PATRICIA SMITH Monument: Poems Winner, 2018 Forward Finalist, 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry New and Selected Prize for Best Collection for Incendiary Art: Poems; winner, 2018 Longlisted, 2018 National for Don’t Call Us Dead Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award; finalist, Book Award in Poetry 2018 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; “There was a high level of electricity in the room. winner, NAACP Image Award for It was generated by deep commitment to the cause of Outstanding Literary Work in Poetry creating a place for people of many kinds.” —Audience Member

3 Cave Canem Foundation Cave Canem Foundation 4 THE TEAM INSTITUTIONAL DONORS A Gathering of the Tribes Alice James Books Association of Writers and Writing Programs The Benevity Community Impact Fund The Betsy Hotel Books Are Magic LLC Brooklyn Museum SOUL OF A NATION READING SERIES Bryant Park Corporation, AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM Bryant Park Reading Room We expanded our programming with the Brooklyn Museum STAFF Center for African American Poetry & to feature readings every month from October 2018 to Nicole Sealey, Executive Director Poetics, University of Pittsburgh Elizabeth Bryant, Programs City of Asylum/Pittsburgh February 2019, in celebration of the exhibition Soul of a & Communications Manager Community Foundation of Greater Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power. The readings Isissa Komada-John, Grants Manager Memphis Zora Howard, Administrative/ garnered more than 600 attendees in 2018 alone, and Community of Writers at Squaw Valley Development Assistant featured fellows such as Hafizah Geter, Omotara James INDIVIDUAL DONORS Fidelity Charitable Della Green, Workshops & Anonymous* Elaina Ellis Keetje Kuipers Toshi Reagon and Joel Dias-Porter. Administrative Fellow Elmaz Abinader Kelly Ellis Raina León Lynne Reeck Fine Arts Works Center in Provincetown Natalie Desrosiers, Programs Jeanette Adams Naomi Extra Kateema Lee Victoria Richards Flowering Lotus Productions, LLC David Adamson Catherine Fahey Angela Lockhart-Aronoff Stephane Robolin “Cave Canem never ceases to educate and create awe in the & Communications Fellow Joshua Aiken Julie Fain Robin Coste Lewis Erica Rojas HarperCollins Publishers Linette Allen Caroline Fairey Steven Licardi Alison Rollins African diaspora. I felt a sense of pride as a Brooklyn native at Lauren Alleyne Tarfia Faizullah Essence London Paul Romero Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Lisa Angstreich Nada Faris Ann Long Danielle Rouse Jai-Alai Books how the Brooklyn Museum audiences have grown. Brava.” Francisco Aragon Aurra Fellows Charles H. Lynch Magali Roy-Fequiere Janeen Armstrong Mea Fiadhiglas Anne Marie Macari Lauren Russell The June M. Jordan Literary Estate —Audience Member Jubi Arriola-Headley Lauren Fisher Shalewa Mackall Joshunda Sanders Ann Arthur Susan Fitzgerald Elizabeth Macklin Stephen Sansom Line/Breaks Media Jami Attenberg Calvin Forbes Haki R. Madhubuti Janet Sarbaugh Vanessa Baish Josephine Franc Marie-Elizabeth Mali Nicole Sealey LitTAP S. Erin Batiste Yolanda Franklin Nick Makoha Solmaz Sharif Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City RETREAT STAFF Herman Beavers Rico Frederick Sarah Manguso Stewart Shaw Dante Micheaux, Coordinator Laurin Becker Katharine Freeman Erica Mapp Emma Sheinbaum Millay Colony for the Arts Shyanne Bennett Kate Gale Maya Marshall Leslie Shipman Marcus Jackson, Staff Lillian Bertram Roberto Garcia Kyla Marshell Tanya Shirley Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation Don Bialostosky Francis Gargani Adrian Matejka Evie Shockley , MFA Creative Writing INTERNS Remica L. Bingham-Risher Deb Garrison Vallerie Matos Emily Siegenthaler Bette Bland Kadeem Gayle Bernice Mbadugha Brian Simoneau Program Saïkou Yaya Baldé Amy Boras Jesse F. Goodwin Steven McCarty Stephen Sloto , Montrell E. Chandler Keayr Braxton Jennifer Grotz Noah McCormack Danez Smith Greg Brisendine Timothy Gyves JoAnne McFarland John Warner Smith MFA Creative Writing Program Noor Dhingra Barbara Bristol Terike Haapoja Evan McGarvey Mary Rose Smith Nicole Hatcher Matthew Broaddus Shelley Haley Leslie McIntosh Sonya Smith Northwestern University Press Pharr Leronn Brooks Janice N. Harrington Kim Merrill Tracy K. Smith Douglas Brown Reva Harris Robin Messing Maria Snellings O, Miami Festival/University Chelsea Williams Cassandra Brown Terrance Hayes Fern Metcalf Linda Somers of Wynwood, Inc. Renee Bryant Shannon Hearn Lisa Mecham Janice Sorensen Poets & Writers, Inc. POETRY & THE BODY Elizabeth Bryant Jake Hess Alison Meyers Kendra Sullivan May D. Brymn Rachel Hezekiah Sarah Micklem Linda Susan Jackson Queequeg Foundation Cave Canem is a proud founding member of the Poetry Madison Carroll Nicholas Hiebert Isaac Miller Karen Swann Sheila Carter-Jones George Higgins Jessica Moore Malcolm Tariq Redemptorist Fathers of New York Coalition, a national alliance of organizations dedicated to Daniel Cassidy Brenda Hillman Olivia Morgan Pamela Taylor Adrian Chandler Michael Hoberman Fred Moten Amber Flora Thomas Rose O’Neill Literary House promoting the cultural value of poetry. In March, Coalition Cortney Charleston Hallie S. Hobson Carla Murphy Matthew Thompson BOARD OF DIRECTORS Starbucks Coffee members offered programs on the theme “Poetry & the Cathy Linh Che Hallie Hobson Jason Myers Brionne Thompson OFFICERS Rebecca Childers Courtney Hodell Ricardo Nazario-Colon Cedric Tillman The Tillary Hotel Brooklyn Daniel Chudnov Bob Holman Rachel Nelson Stacey Tolbert Body.” Through social media, Cave Canem fellows and Parneshia Jones, HONORARY Gary Clark Josh Honn Alex Neubauer Nicole Tong Two Trees Cultural Space Subsidy Program faculty submitted poetic lines for inclusion in an exquisite President DIRECTORS Elizabeth Clark Wessel Aluko Hope Sara Nicholson Joshua Tripp Dave Coates William Howard Nadxieli Nieto Hall Irene Turner Vermont Studio Center Cornelius Eady, Elizabeth Alexander corpse, which debuted online on March 1, 2018. Cave Ama Codjoe Juliet Howard Nkosi Nkululeko Lori Lynn Turner Westville Dumbo Vice President & Lee Briccetti Claudia Copeland Julie Hungiville LeMay Benita Noveno Irene Turner Canem also presented the organization’s first-ever open Barbara Bristol Kelly Cornacchia Erica Hunt Monique Ngozi Nri Chase Twichell The Woo & Wainger Charitable Fund Co-founder Theodore Cornwell Francesca Hyatt Catherine Ntube Charles Umeano Nikky Finney (in honor of Lucy Wainger) mic featuring poems about poetry and the body. , Treasurer Anya Creightney Noor Jaber Elizabeth Nunez Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon Amanda Johnston, Nikki Giovanni Teri Cross Davis Ashaki Jackson January O'Neil Martine Volmar Marilyn Hacker Caleb Curtiss Safia Jama Laura Vrana Secretary; Fellow 2005, Kyle Dacuyan Omotara James Jadi Z. Omowale Margo Viscusi 2006, 2007 Terrance Hayes Timothy Dalton Brionne Janae Dorina Opferman Arthur Wadsworth EXCERPT FROM THE POEM Bob Holman DéLana Dameron Patricia Jazanoski (in memory Timothy Parfitt Asiya Wadud Jon Darga of Maasai Haile Jones) Dustin Pearson Calvin Walds “CAVE CANEM’S DIRECTORS Yusef Komunyakaa Kyle Dargan Tyehimba Jess Laura Pegram April Walker Kelly Davis Dawn Lundy Martin Jarita Davis Amanda Johnston Justin Peters Erika Walsh Joey De Jesus Freda Johnson Emory Petrack Jeremy Wang-Iverson FINANCIAL REPORT FELLOWS & FACULTY EXQUISITE CORPSE” E. Ethelbert Miller Toi Derricotte, Lauren DelFavero J. Chester Johnson Carl Phillips Nagueyalti Warren To view a complete copy of our Fiscal Year Co-founder Walter Mosley Trace DePass Hettie Jones Wendy Pierpont Jillian Webb 2018 audit, visit our website at Sharon Olds Toi Dericotte Parneshia Jones Hermine Pinson Robert Weinberg Sweet skin, so dissonant, My long-armed Allen A. Drexel, Esq. Cedric Dew Quincy Scott Jones Robert Polito Nancy White https://cavecanempoets.org/financials/. Tyehimba Jess, Fellow Tim Seibles LeConte Dill Jacqueline Jones LaMon Iain Pollock Michelle Whittaker disillusionment walks shirtless down the night street. 1997, 1999, 2001 Woodrow Dismukes A. Van Jordan D. A. Powell Bruce Willard Mitchell Douglas Kelli Kane Jason Protass Leroy Wilson Hands: black swans toward heaven gripping gold or Allen A. Drexel, Esq. Ayesha Karim Ben Purkert Matthew Wimberley ELDERS Tiffany Drummon Caledonia Kearns Katie Pyontek Robin Williams Wood grains or flecks of God’s glory. Camille Dungy John Keene Alice Quinn Marilyn Nelson Cornelius Eady Christoph Keller Noel Quinones Kobina Wright Sonia Sanchez Mary Easter Donika Kelly Gabriel Ramirez SékouWrites Afaa M. Weaver Natasha El-Scari Janet Kinnane Vesto PR Sharon Dennis Wyeth Teri Elam Ruth Ellen Kocher Hillary Rand Jenny Xie 5 Cave Canem Foundation Al Young Chiyuma Elliott Michele Kotler Camille Rankine Carlin Zia Cave Canem Foundation 6 *Indicates multiple donors.