Uplift Poetry Organizations

Every month is Poetry Month. In April, which is National Poetry Month, there is extra seasoning in the stanzas. Poetry brings the power to lure the imagination and entice the personal. Its variety celebrates the passion of art through words. Below are five of the many poetry organizations that support poetry and poets themselves with their incredible inclusivity: 

CantoMundo: Founded in 2009, the organization supports the Latinx diaspora of Indigenous, Black, and Afro-Latinx writers, poets, and poetry. There is an annual poetry retreat. Esteemed Latinx poets as Ada Limón and Martin Espada have led workshops with fellows on the retreat. Since 2017, CantoMundo has co-sponsored an annual book award contest. You can follow the organization on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @cantomundo.

Lambda Literary Foundation: This organization supports LGBTQ authors and readers. They have a Writers in Schools program, which hosts LGBTQ authors to New York City K-12 schools. They also have the LAMMY’s, which celebrates the best in LBGTQ literature. You can follow them on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter @lambdaliterary. 

Da Poetry Lounge: Da Poetry Lounge was founded in 1998, spanning locations to foster the beauty of poetry. Every Tuesday, there is an open mic and is the largest in the nation. The open mics are usually at Greenway Courtway Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Until further notice, the programs are virtual. You can follow them on Instagram @da_poetry_lounge, @dapoetrylounge on Twitter, and Da Poetry Lounge on YouTube.

Kundiman: Founded in 2002 by Sarah Gambito, this organization, as their mission states, is “dedicated to nurturing generations of writers and readers of Asian American literature”. You can follow Kundiman on Instagram and Twitter @kundimanforever. This link that Kundiman compiled also features a plethora of organizations that support writers of color. 

Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas: Founded in 1992, the organization supports Native American writers and is most notable for its literary awards. They are housed at the University of Oklahoma’s English Department. You can follow them on Facebook @NativeWritersCircle.

Which poetry organizations you follow? Drop a link in the comments!

Ashley Paul

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Ashley Paul is a traveler, runner, and baker. She is an Everlasting Bookworm and Culture Maven. She is passionate about supporting high school juniors and seniors to write compelling stories for their post-secondary careers. She loves stories with social commentary, atmospheric writing, and compelling characters.