The Impact of Your Donation to Lit Up
Your donation to 2021 Lit Up will directly fund financial aid for teen and adult writers as well as programming to amplify the voices of Black writers and writers of color.
GrubStreet reaffirms our commitment to fighting systemic racism and pursuing cultural equity, from our classrooms and offices to the broader writing and publishing sphere at large (check out our recent report to read more about cultural equity at GrubStreet). We know that writers from lower-income communities and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers continue to face inequitable access to opportunities for artistic creation and publication, as well as a lack of leadership opportunities in the literary field. To directly target these barriers in our own community, the funds raised at 2021 Lit Up will go to increase scholarship funds for teens and adults to take creative writing classes, as well as deepen programming that promotes the creative and educational work of Black writers and writers of color. Your gift will support the following projects:
$100,000 for Expanded Writing Opportunities and Financial Aid for Teens & Adults
GrubStreet currently provides financial aid for writing classes and participation in the Muse and the Marketplace Conference, with a priority for writers from communities historically underrepresented in publishing. These funds will help us better meet the growing need for scholarships in our Young Adult Writers Program classes, in the full range of adult classes (including our year-long intensive programs, such as the Novel Incubator), and in our annual writing and publishing conference.
$85,000 to Expand Programs for our Boston Writers of Color Group
During the past three years, GrubStreet’s Boston Writers of Color (BWOC) Group has grown into an active community of more than 2,000 writers of color. Funds raised through Lit Up will help increase resources for the group, including literary events, networking opportunities, writing retreats, submission fee scholarships, and mentorship, as well as new programming opportunities that will be possible at GrubStreet’s forthcoming Center for Creative Writing.
$75,000 for Teaching Fellowships for Black Writers/Educators
In 2021, GrubStreet launched two new teaching fellowships for Black writer-educators. Over time, we hope to grow the program to three fellows. Your support will help us to continue this program. The teaching fellowships offer financial support, professional development, and artistic mentorship. The Fellows will also teach classes and work with other instructors and staff to deepen the GrubStreet curriculum. Get to know our inaugural teaching fellows.
Support these crucial programs today by participating in Lit Up 2021.
