02/24/2026
✊ Today, we’re sharing Maggie’s
picks for marking Black History Month. She’s highlighting the beauty and brilliance of Columbus writers - this month and beyond.
📝 Barbara Fant ( . Currently living in California and originally from Youngstown, Barb lived in Columbus for many years. She is a dynamic poet. Her latest book, Joy in the Belly of a Riot: Poems, Prayers, Memories and Meditations is a poetry collection that transforms her personal experiences related to trauma into healing and joy.
📝 Cynthia Amoah (). A spoken word artist, performer, TEDx speaker and writer, Cynthia is originally from Ghana. Her writing explores identify and belonging, leaving you challenged and inspired. She was Creative Mornings February speaker. She is the author of the chapbook, Handrails.
📝 Hanif Abdurraqib (). A proud graduate of Beechcroft High School, Hanif is a dynamic poet, essayist and cultural critic. In 2022, he was selected for the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. His books include They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us: Essays and There’s Always This Year: Basketball and Ascension. He candidly uses his lived experiences as a lens to examine culture and identity.
