Yesterday, we found out that MFA alum zakia henderson-brown was named as the Editor’s Choice for the 2025 Alice James Award.
Alice James Books is committed to collaborating with literary artists of excellence whose voices have been historically marginalized by producing, promoting, and distributing their work, which often engages the public on important social issues. The Alice James Award builds on Alice James’s reputation for excellence through this annual contest for book manuscripts from both emerging and established poets.
zakia winning a blind submission contest (where no contact information can be listed on the manuscripts submitted) is nothing short of a coup–her forthcoming book, The Body Losing Its Borders, beat out thousands of other manuscripts to be published by one of the premiere independent publishers of poetry in the nation.
The Body Losing Its Borders won’t be available until January 2027, but you can congratulate zakia (and preorder) today!