Dear Writers, Readers, and Friends,

Welcome to the 2026 Great Lakes African American Writers Conference, which is our Ninth Annual Conference. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Our Labors,” honors the work of African American writers, artists, scholars, and storytellers whose creativity, perseverance, vision, and legacy continue to shape our communities and our world.

Writing is both an art and a labor—a commitment to truth, imagination, memory, and possibility. Through every poem, essay, story, screenplay, press report, memoir, etc., we bear witness to our experiences and contribute to a rich literary tradition that spans generations.

Join us live in Cleveland and Dayton or virtually. This year GLAAWC takes the form of a summit with three keynotes, book signings, a workshop, an award luncheon, and author-vendors who are self-published.  

We invite you to join us as we celebrate the dedication behind the work, the stories that emerge from it, and the writers who make it possible. Together, we honor the labor of creation and the enduring power of African American voices.

On Saturday, Sept. 5th, join us virtually and in Cleveland and Dayton for the 9th Annual Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC affectionately known as “Glossy”). This year’s speakers include: Nell Irvin Painter, Ph.D., the Alice Dunbar Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient; Author Justin Ellis, the Cuyahoga County Public Library Langston Hughes Literary Cleveland Keynote; Glory Edim of Well-Read Black Girl, our Alice Dunbar Nelson Professional Keynote; and Kortney Morrow, Founder’s Award Recipient and Program Director, Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Author Vanessa Miller is the Langston Hughes Literary Dayton Keynote. 

Welcome to GLAAWC 2026. Register here. More to come! 

Love, Light & Godspeed,