Grubbies

About Claudia

Claudia Wilson is a Black, trans poet from Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. They studied English and Black Studies in college and earned their MFA from UMass Amherst. Their work lives at the intersections of identity, memory, and becoming—and is deeply rooted in community. Claudia grew as a writer and performer in spaces like The Writer’s Block in Columbus, and the Cantab Lounge and House Slam in Boston, which were foundational to their creative discipline. Claudia is a VONA Fellow, a Juniper Fellow, and a graduate of The Writer’s Hotel. Their debut chapbook, GROWN (Game Over Books, 2019), explores themes of growth, survival, and transformation. Their forthcoming collection, Searching for Afrekete, continues to examine lineage, queerness, and the sacred. Their writing has appeared in Winter Tangerine, Mass Poetry, and Passengers North. They are a recipient of the Mass Cultural Council Fellowship, a finalist for the Academy of American Poets Prize and the Elizabeth George Foundation, and a Sara Patton awardee. They were also selected as a GrubStreet Black Creative Writing Fellow. In addition to their literary work, Claudia is active in the mental health field, where they support community-based, peer-centered alternatives to crisis care. They currently facilitate and advocate for Alternatives to Suicide groups—intentional, non-coercive spaces that center honesty, mutual aid, and the complexity of living. This work reflects their deep belief in collective care and the power of holding space for others’ stories. Claudia has taught poetry at Smith College and UMass Amherst, led workshops at Manna Community Center in Western Massachusetts, and participated in cultural and literary panels with GrubStreet. Across all their work, Claudia centers the richness of Black and trans life, and the power of poetry as a space for truth-telling, connection, and transformation. Claudia resides in Western, MA with their cat Pablo.