Help Get Julian to the Minnesota Northwoods

Who Am I?

My name is Julian Randall and I am Queer Black poet from Chicago. I am currently a third year Masters of Fine Arts Candidate at the University of Mississippi. I am a recipient of fellowships from Cave Canem, Callaloo, BOAAT and The Watering Hole. My work has been published in POETRY, Ploughshares, New York Times Magazine and anthologized in Bettering American Poetry, Furious Flower and the 2019 Pushcart Prize anthology. I recently celebrated the release of my first book of poems, Refuse (Pitt, 2018), which won the 2017 Cave Canem Poetry Prize.

Where Am I Going?

I was recently awarded the $400 poetry scholarship to attend the prestigious Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference and study with Camille Dungy. I'm extremely excited for what this will mean for my new poetic work which leans more into the pastoral tradition and Blackness' relationship with natural world! But unfortunately the scholarship, while generous, cannot cover everything so I need your help to make this happen!

What Are Your Funds Going Towards?

Breakdown of Costs:

Tuition Balance: $310
The tuition scholarship I was awarded covers $400 of the full $650 conference fee. Additionally, I am hoping to use this opportunity for a manuscript consultation with Professor Dungy on some work in progress which will require an additional $60. The cost of tuition raises by $100 if not paid in full by March 31st.

Travel Costs: $400
I will be traveling to Bemidji (where the conference is located) from Washington DC. In order to do that I will need funds for a round trip flight and also bus tickets from Minneapolis to Bemidji and back again.

Room and Board: $252
Housing on site will cost $252 for the week, off-site housing options are unfortunately quite limited.

Examples of My Work

I'm grateful for any and all help in making all this happen. Please find below a couple of examples of my work

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/148365/flex

https://theadroitjournal.org/issue-twenty-julian-randall-the-adroit-journal/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jOy_DacSHM&t=3s

https://www.nytimes.com/video/t-magazine/100000005756673/read-t-a-poem-robin-de-jesus.html?smid=fb-share

Thank you in advance for all your help whether as a donor or as a social media share