Nicole Shawan Junior
Nicole Shawan Junior's (they/she/we) writing is anthologized in Edge of the World: An Anthology of Queer Travel Writing (Blair 2025) and The Sentences That Create Us: Crafting A Writer’s Life in Prison (Haymarket 2022). Guernica, The Rumpus, Oprah Daily, The Massachusetts Review, Gay Mag, and others have published their essays. A Tin House "Debut Author Over 40" residency recipient, Hedgebrook writer-in-residence, Lambda Literary “Emerging Queer Voice,” New York Foundation for the Arts Geri Ashur Fellow, and Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference contributing writer, Nicole has received myriad writing residencies and fellowships. Their writing is “Best of the Net” nominated and a Longreads “Top 5 of the Week" recipient. Nicole founded the BIPOC literary arts organization Roots. Wounds. Words. where they provide writing and mentorship opportunities to over 3,000 BIPOC writers.