Inspiring and supporting Alabamians immersed in the writing community for the last 100 years, the Alabama Writers’ Cooperative will be honoring the past, while also saluting the writers of today during this fall’s A.W.C. Conference. The conference is set for September 8-10 at the O’Neal Public Library in Mountain Brook, AL; the weekend’s events will celebrate the rich history that has brought the organization from 1923 to present day.
The keynote address will be delivered by current Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones. In addition, there will be an open mic night, author panel discussion, and numerous writing workshops in multiple genres. Plus, this year’s A.W.C. writing contest winners will be honored at an awards dinner.
“We are very pleased Ashley is going to be with us this year as we commemorate A.W.C. events, members, and all writers from the past, present and future,” said A.W. C. President Jessica Langston. “Any writers out there who have been considering entering one of the writing contests, you still have until August 1. We’d really love to see your submissions.”
“It is always exciting to discover what people want to explore through their writing, whether they use poetry, fiction or other genres to express themselves,” Langston added.
“Now is also a good time to make your plans to attend this year’s in-person conference in Mountain Brook,” she said. “We will have workshops, social events, contest awards, and a keynote address you won’t want to miss.”
The keynote, “Surely I Can Write Poems: The Necessity of Truth-Telling, Diversity, and Authenticity in Contemporary Poetry”, will be featured during Saturday night’s awards dinner. Using Lucille Cliffton’s “Surely I Can Write Poems” as a reference point, Jones wants to alert us to the “necessity of seeing what lies beneath what is first seen”, she said.
She is hopeful those hearing the keynote will “be freed from any notion that poetry can only be one thing – a poem can be beautiful and tragic, joyful and aware of trauma, full of linguistic delight and politically relevant.”
Jones, the first African-American and youngest Poet Laureate for Alabama, said recently that the keynote topic, in many ways, embodies her life’s work in poetry.
“I write poems which don’t pay attention to traditional limitations, and I wish that same freedom for everyone,” she explained.
The poetic spark struck early for Jones, while reading “Honey I Love and Other Love Poems” by Eloise Greenfeld when she chose to recite the poem “Harriet Tubman” for her second grade class.
Prior to that, “I used to be shy, but when I began to recite that poem, I felt strong, powerful and proud. From that day on, I have been writing poems.”
Holding the position of Alabama Poet Laureate has afforded Jones, a Birmingham native, many opportunities to collaborate with other artists and work on commissioned pieces for a variety of events and occasions. Jones has also learned to navigate the challenge of trying to “meet the requirements of a very specific message” while still remembering “it’s always possible to make space for me, and remain true to my own authentic voice, even when writing for something or someone outside myself.”
She said she was already aware of how poetry can be meaningful to people, but her time as Alabama’s Poet Laureate has really revealed the power of poetry.
“Poets, and the empathy that poetry-writing and reading creates, can truly bring a community together, even around difficult issues,” she said.
A community of writers can certainly do amazing things, and you’re invited to join any, or all, of the upcoming events. Submit to the A.W.C. writing contests here. You will also find discounted hotel accommodations and conference details here. For additional information, contact jjsayspoetryplz@gmail.com.
