Student Fellowships Awarded

Write Like Us fellowships were awarded to four Minneapolis College BIPOC creative writing students.

Jo Gambill-Read, Kaija Long Crow, Leticia Lopez, and Lucas Mangelsdorf were selected for year-long residencies with local BIPOC writers LM Brimmer, Nicola Koh, Michael Kleber-Diggs, and Taiwana Shambley.

The author-mentors will work closely with the group of 20 mentees awarded fellowships from the five participating Minnesota State Write Like Us metro-area community colleges (Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Century College, Minneapolis College, Normandale Community College and North Hennepin Community College). Mentors will immerse students in the local literary community, create networking opportunities with other writers, provide candid academic and career advice and feedback.

Minnesota State Write Like Us centers and celebrates the work of BIPOC writers and writing students as it fosters literary mentorship and leadership, building a platform for shared stories, voices and lived experiences. By providing BIPOC mentees with models of success that look like them, Minnesota State Write Like Us hopes to recruit, retain and represent BIPOC students in our Associate of Fine Arts and other creative writing programs.

Acclaimed visiting authors and local author-mentor bios and photos and a schedule of public events are available at Write Like Us webpage.