Join us in congratulating Kirsten Ihns, whose poem “WATER LENS BAY DOG COUCH BUTTER MOTHER” was also nominated by judge Robyn Schiff as a runner up in The Columbia Review’s 2020 Poetry Competition! You can read “WATER LENS BAY DOG COUCH BUTTER MOTHER” below:

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: https://www.nypl.org/support/membership/schomburg-society “Harlem’s beloved NYPL branch—a research institution, community center, and artistic stronghold dedicated to Black history and thought—dedicates itself as much to historical preservation of Black lives as to present and future activism.” –Ryan Daar The Loveland Foundation: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/ “The Loveland Therapy Fund provides financial assistance for Black women and girls in the U.S. to access mental health professionals and therapy sessions. It is committed to supporting the mental healing and wellbeing of Black women and girls: therapy sessions can cost anywhere from $80-$200, and Loveland works to ensure that recipients will…