Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora has been awarded a $15,000 Literary Arts Emergency Fund Award.
Obsidian receives Literary Arts Emergency Fund Award

Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora has been awarded a $15,000 Literary Arts Emergency Fund Award.
The final spring 2022 #ObsidianVoices event, “____ing While Black,” will be held at 6 p.m. (CT) Friday, April 29.
Join PRESS 254 and the Publications Unit for a virtual chapbook launch and reading event at 7 p.m. CST April 26 to support your local teaching press and to celebrate the creative work of our authors and the professional work of publishing studies majors for producing the books.
Alumnus Ryan Clark ’13 will read from his new collection of poetry on Friday, February 25 in a hybrid in-person and virtual book launch event hosted by the Publications Unit.
Award-winning Mexican-American and Indigenous writer, editor Jennifer Givhan will talk about her literary journey, writing practices, and representation as part of an exclusive two-part online lecture and reading event on February 16.
Obsidian: Literature and Arts in the African Diaspora has been approved for a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Anya Malley ’17 is an alum of Illinois State University’s Department of English who received their Bachelor of Arts through the publishing studies program. During their time at the University, they gained hands-on experience at the Publications Unit, and now they are an associate editor at Learning for Justice.
Drawing attendance from four continents, #ObsidianVoices provides a space to gather online in celebration of Black literature and arts.
Join PRESS 254 at the Publications Unit for a virtual chapbook launch and reading event at 7 p.m. CST April 27 to celebrate the work of current students and alumni authors and the work of English and publishing studies majors for producing the books.
Ameliah Tawlks ’15 is an alumna of the Department of English’s publishing studies program who completed multiple professional experiences, including the production assistant internship for the Publications Unit. Tawlks has now built a career in project management bridging her interests in business and technical communication.