Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers
In a Nutshell
GrubStreet’s Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers provides financial and professional development support to two self-identified Black writers interested in teaching classes, participating in events, and working with our instructors and staff to deepen our curriculum. The fellowship includes compensation of $25,000, artistic mentorship, and access to the GrubStreet community and the Muse and the Marketplace conference. In time, the program aims to offer sustainable support to Black Writers and create a cohort of fellows who have direct access to GrubStreet resources, classes, and events. We also hope the fellows can influence GrubStreet’s pedagogy and cultural vision based on their experience and feedback.
Applications for 2022-2023 Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers are now closed.
Details
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers will provide the following compensation:
- $25,000 per fellow for the year.
- Access to mentorship from GrubStreet’s Education Director and fellow instructors.
- Free access to the Muse and the Marketplace during the fellowship year and the option to lead a paid session at the conference.
- Access to additional GrubStreet events.
- A dedicated space at GrubStreet’s new home to work on personal writing projects.
- 60 hours (or roughly 20 weeks) of free GrubStreet classes, which can be taken during or after the fellowship.
- A two-year GrubStreet membership.
The teaching load and responsibilities for the fellowship year include:
- Teaching one ten-week class.
- Teaching one six-week class.
- Teaching one week-long teen camp.
- Teaching one three-hour seminar (plus, the option to teach more for additional payment).
- Moderate or participate in a Boston Writers of Color’s event.
- Meet with the Head of Faculty and Education Director periodically to track progress.
- Meet with new fellows at the end of your own fellowship year.
The fellowship begins September 6th, 2022 and runs through the end of August 2023.
Who Should Apply
This fellowship is open to writers who self-identify as Black, are 18 or older, are able to work with both adult and teen audiences, and have a passion for expansive pedagogy, curriculum development, and professional growth. Ideal candidates will have some publication and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those working on their first book or a larger project. MFAs, a long publishing record, or extensive teaching experience are not requirements to apply, though feel free to tell us if you have any of these things.
Covid-19 Update: GrubStreet’s programming is currently taking place both virtually and in-person. We hope fellows will be able to join us in-person later in 2022 and in 2023. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston when it's safe to do so. Learn more about GrubStreet’s Covid-19 updates.
How to Apply
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers Application Form will require the following:
- A personal statement (500 words max), which should include:
- Your background as a writer and teacher.
- Your personal philosophy or approach to creative writing workshops.
- How this particular fellowship fits your interests and goals as a writer and educator.
- Your CV or resume.
- A writing sample (20 pages limit for prose; 12 pages for poetry; 25 pages for scripts; and 20 pages for other or fused genres) that best exemplifies your current trajectory as a writer.
- Two personal references (name, email, and phone number) who can speak to your experience and dedication to writing and teaching.
Applications for 2022-2023 Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers are now closed.
Important Dates
- Applications open: Thursday, April 7th, 2022.
- Deadline: Wednesday, June 1st, 2022.
- Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of GrubStreet’s program staff.
- Final decisions will be announced at the end of June.
- Program kicks off on September 6th, 2022 and runs through the end of August 2023.
Questions?
If you have specific questions about the Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers, email [email protected] or call the office anytime at 617.695.0075.
Meet the 2022-2023 Teaching Fellows
Claudia Wilson is a poet and a nonfiction writer. They are from Ohio, lived in Boston for 20 years, and now lives in Western, MA. They are a VONA Fellow, The Writer’s Hotel participant, and Juniper Fellow. Claudia graduated from UMass Amherst in 2021 with an MFA in poetry and is the author of the chapbook GROWN, published by Game Over Books press in 2019. They have been published with Mass Poetry and received an honorable mention from the Academy of Poets. They are a recent recipient of the Mass Cultural Council grant. They have done readings at venues from Writer’s Block in Columbus, Ohio to the Cantab Lounge, in Boston. They have taught creative writing at UMass Amherst and Smith College for the summer creative writing programs. Their forthcoming book is called Searching for Afrekete, a hybrid collection that centers a conversation between a black trans person and a queer God. They have a cat named Pablo. Claudia Wilson enjoys playing Skyrim.
Nakia Hill is a writer, educator, and journalist. She was the co-writer and lead interviewer for Double Elvis' Here Comes the Break, a hip-hop inspired audio drama podcast. Nakia is a founding board member of Boston Art Review. In 2018, Nakia was named a Boston Artist-in-Residence by Mayor Marty Walsh. During her residency, she published two books: Water Carrier and I Still Did It. Nakia also explored how art influences government policy and launched the Boston Women in the Workplace survey where she gathered narratives from women about navigating the work sector in Boston. Nakia's work focuses on archiving Black women's and girls' stories through print publications and empowering them to use writing as a tool for healing, advocacy, and resistance.
Fellows Testimonials
“Being selected as one of GrubStreet's inaugural Black Teaching Fellows was a great joy.
During the fellowship year, GrubStreet's program team outlined teaching expectations and the course selection was largely self-directed by each fellow. However, there was room to reflect and adjust. Check-in opportunities were provided and I reached out to discuss ideas and challenges.
As a memorist and essayist I taught courses in the nonfiction genre, as well as experimented by creating new courses. One of those courses helped me define my voice as an educator who sees writerly self-care as integral to the writing practice. In the coming weeks, I will be "tryin a ting" with new programming with the Young Adult Writers Program that merges the storytelling mode of nonfiction with drama.
There were times during the fellowship when my insecurities as an emerging educator tried to take hold. In those moments, I reached out to the GrubStreet community, especially other Black and POC educators within the organization. This access to community and informal mentorship was one of the reasons I applied to the fellowship.
Ultimately, this opportunity has been a foundational step to practice developing inclusive curricula and interrogating Western modes of storytelling. I am also grateful for the ways it has poured into my own creative process.”
– Simone Dalton
"In the words of Audre Lorde, 'Poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence.' This is very true for my own approach towards the work that I do as a poet and educator; however, securing the time and financial stability to support myself as I embark on my poetic endeavors can become challenging, especially in the face of an ongoing pandemic. My position as a GrubStreet Teaching Fellow has helped alleviate this challenge by allowing me the time and space to tap into the necessity of my existence as a writer, while also providing the opportunity to develop my pedagogy by teaching classes for GrubStreet participants. I am grateful to GrubStreet for establishing a program that centers Black artists and I am excited to welcome new members and see the ways this unique cohort will continue to grow in the future."
– Crystal Valentine