VS

On today’s episode of VS, Ajanae and Brittany interview W.J. Lofton. Join them as they discuss how they handle failure within their process, grief as a form of generosity, queer intimacy, spiritual expansion, and the process of unlearning harmful beliefs.Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Danez Smith- 5 things I wish I'd known before I started writing {with Danez Smith}Kiese Laymon- Rice’s Kiese Laymon awarded ‘genius grant’ MacArthur FellowshipToni Morrison- From 2004: Toni Morrison on a writer's lifeImani Perry- Imani Perry: Letter from Home — THE BITTER SOUTHERNERWriting Prompt:Considering the relationship between the elegy and ode, write a poem that explores what grief has gifted you. 

Hanif Abdurraqib, an award-winning poet and cultural critic, dives deep into themes of obsession and personal history. He reminisces about the nostalgic charm of mixtapes and the legacy of his grandmother’s music curation. The conversation explores the emotional toll of creativity and the balance between artistic expression and well-being. Abdurraqib emphasizes the significance of authenticity in writing and the role of family storytelling in shaping identity. He redefines obsession as crucial to the creative process, enriching the narrative journey.

On today’s episode of VS, Ajanae and Brittany interview m. mick powell about their forthcoming collection, Dead Girl Cameo (Penguin Random House). Join them as they discuss celebrity culture and conspiracy theories, obsession with the 90’s and 2000’s, Black queer feminist thought, and gathering artifacts across time periods. Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Saidiya Hartman - Saidiya Hartman, Literary Scholar and Cultural Historian | 2019 MacArthur FellowNtozake Shange - Ntozake Shange preserves Black history and culture through literature (1989 interview)Cheryl Dunye - The Watermelon Woman at 25: the Black lesbian classic that wears its brilliance lightly | BFIDr. Andrea Y. Adomako - Andrea Y. AdomakoWriting Prompt:Write an ode to a cultural icon or piece of memorabilia from your childhood. Make the title a line from a song that was important to you during this era.

On today’s episode of VS, Brittany and Ajanae have the opportunity to talk with Tiana Clark. Listen in as they discuss navigating burnout and perfectionism, advocacy within the medical system, neurodivergence, and permission as a part of the creative process. Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Terrance Hayes- What it Look Like | The Poetry FoundationSharon Olds- Sharon Olds talks about her workIssa Rae- AWKWARD Black Girl | “The Stop Sign” [S. 1, Ep. 1]Writing Prompt:Write an ekphrastic poem for a music video that you love. 

On today’s episode, Brittany and Ajanae talk with Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon—phenomenal writers and co-hosts of the podcast, Reckon True Stories. During this conversation, they discuss the impact of great editors, the overlap between poetry and prose, rejection in the writers room, and the beauty of friendship. Until Next Time: Catherine Coleman (Kiese’s Grandmother) - On Resilience, Tender Rituals, and Responsible Love: Talking with Kiese Laymon - The RumpusKendrick Lamar - The Literary Genius of Kendrick LamarNene leakes - 10 Quotes NeNe Leakes Gave To Pop Culture That Prove She's A Cultural IconTami Roman - Tami Roman's Funniest Moments | Basketball Wives LegendsDeesha’s Grandmother - Local Dispatch: My grandmother's life lesson on the dignity of work | Pittsburgh Post-GazetteKiese Laymon - Award Winning Author Kiese Laymon Discusses Heavy: An American Memoir and moreWriting Prompt:Write a prose poem and borrow your favorite craft element from another genre to focus on.

Today’s episode was recorded live at the Sims Library in Los Angeles, California during this year's AWP conference. Join Brittany and Ajanae as they sit down with E. Hughes and Luther Hughes (no relation) to discuss the role that intimacy plays in their writing, memory being true for the moment, the role of grief in the writing process, and moments of messiness in their collections. Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Toni Morrison: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am - Exclusive Clip - Farah Griffin On SulaNatasha Trethewey- The Typology of Taint, in Thrall to a Word: A Conversation with Natasha Trethewey | World Literature TodayFrantz Fanon: Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks | What Language Reveals | Philosophy Core ConceptsLuther:Carl Phillips: Intimacy, Afloat in Space: A Conversation with Carl Phillips - The Adroit JournalCM Burroughs: Meat to Reckon With: A Conversation with CM BurroughsSza- Ctrl: sza - ctrl (full album)Taylor Johnson: An Interview and Poems from Taylor JohnsonWriting Prompt: Write an ode to your grief. 

Nicole Sealey, an award-winning poet and educator in NYU’s MFA Writers Workshop, dives into the intricacies of love and friendship in her creative process. She shares her insights on overcoming challenges at writers' conferences and the influence of mentors on her work. The conversation also addresses how personal relationships and family ties shape artistic expression, especially within the realm of Black literature. Sealey's reflections on navigating themes of grief and historical trauma through poetry provide a poignant lens on contemporary issues.

On today’s episode of VS, Ajanae and Brittany are joined by poet Omotara James. Join them as they discuss the failure of poetry as savior, whistleblowers, art as a meet-cute, resisting shielding the speaker, and building trust with the reader. Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Sharon Olds: Sharon Olds talks about her workMichaela Coel: ‘There is power in the word no’: Michaela Coel’s journey from Chewing Gum to I May Destroy You | CBC ComedyLucille Clifton: Lucille Clifton talks of her books of poems, including “Good Times”Writing Prompt: Write a confessional poem that addresses your reader directly. 

On today’s episode, Ajanaé and Brittany talk to Vanessa Angélica Villarreal! Listen in as they discuss mushrooms, quantum entanglements, borders, the ethics of daughters-memory, and the role of Fantasy and The Future in the Western literary canon. Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo: Pedro Páramo | Official Trailer | NetflixJordan S. Carroll- Speculative Whiteness: Exploration Log 7: Interview with Jordan S. Carroll, author of Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt-Right (2024)The Dragon Age Games; South of Midnight: South of Midnight - Accolades TrailerWriting Prompt: Write a poem for your favorite television or book character. 

On today’s episode, Brittany and Ajanae chat with Amanda Johnston; join them as they discuss choosing joy, intentional literary citizenship, the history of Torch Literary Arts, recurring selves in the work, and existing in the here and now.Until Next Time: Here is some media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!Lucille Clifton - i am accused of tending to the past by Lucille CliftonKrista Franklin - ARTIST FEATURE: KRISTA FRANKLIN - EP2Wura-Natasha Ogunji - Interview with Wura-Natasha Ogunji | "Alpha Crucis – Contemporary African Art"Beyonce - The Business of Being Beyoncé Knowles-Carter | GQWriting Prompt: In the spirit of Amanda’s Praisesong project, choose a member of your community and write a praisesong or ode to them.