2023 Writing Mentorship Program for Cumberland County Youth
Throughout National Poetry Month (April) 2023, Longleaf Press will be offering after-school writing workshops and one-on-one writing mentorship to middle and high school students in Cumberland County. Thanks to generous grants from the North Carolina Arts Council and Cumberland County Arts Council, all students receiving free or reduced lunch will be given free, priority enrollment, as will anyone requesting a fee waiver due to financial hardship.
Writers-in-Residence for this program will include North Carolina Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green; Longleaf Press authors, Carole Boston Weatherford and Cecilia RodrÃguez Milanés, and several other award-winning poets, including Shane Manier, Larry Sorkin, and Jeffery Weatherford. A detailed catalogue of workshops will be posted on our website in early 2023.
The project will culminate in the publication of an anthology of poetry by Cumberland County Youth, as well as performances to celebrate the book release.
We are currently seeking volunteers to help with marketing and publicity, as well as local writers who may be interested in facilitating after-school workshops and/or mentoring youth one-on-one for writing-related projects. During the next few months, we will be accepting applications for a limited number of paid positions and for volunteers. For more information, please email longleafpress@gmail.com.