Diane McKinney Whetstone
This year’s annual Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC, pronounced “glossy”) will feature nationally renowned author Diane McKinney-Whetstone and publishing industry expert Kim Martin-Sadler. They will be among those sharing insights with authors and aspiring writers throughout the region on September 26-27 at locations including the Cleveland Public Library’s MLK branch and Case Western Reserve University, both located in the heart of University Circle.
This annual day-long conference celebrates black literary creatives nationally and regionally. Now in its eighth year, the event offers in-depth panel discussions, opportunities to network with esteemed literary minds, and up-to-date information on trending literary matters. It is evolving into a must-attend for all literary creatives and lovers of African American literature.
Saturday’s program starts at 10a. McKinney-Whetstone delivering the Langston Hughes Literary Keynote at 10:30a. Martin-Sadler will present the Alice Dunbar Nelson keynote at noon. Other highlights include announcement of the 2026 GLAAWC Anthology and awards presentations during the 1p lunch. See the full schedule here.
There will also be a “Street Lit” writing workshop where attendees will be equipped with techniques for their craft to develop and flourish in this urban literary sector. The event is free, as is parking. Register for the conference here and or separately for the Street-Lit workshop here.
McKinney-Whetstone's latest novel, Family Spirit, is available for purchase as a bundled ticket. Other book titles will also be available for purchase.
On Friday, Sept. 26th, GLAAWC, in partnership with the Case Western Reserve University English Department and the Baker-Nord Center, will host the Alice Dunbar-Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award honoring Cleveland's own beloved and distinguished poet, Julie Patton. Patton joins past awardees Walter Mosley, Pearl Cleage, Carl Phillips and Rita Dove as the fifth honoree. Clevelander and Stanford University professor Adam Banks will engage Julie in conversation from 3:15p-4:30p in CWRU’s Guilford House, 11112 Bellflower Rd [44106].
As part of this year’s expanding conference, GLAAWC is offering a virtual option in conjunction with Midwest regional partners in Columbus and Detroit. Visit glaaw.us for details.
• • •• • •
