Raina J. León, Cave Canem and CantoMundo fellow and member of the Carolina African American Writers Collective, has three collections of poetry: Canticle of Idols, Boogeyman Dawn, and sombra: (dis)locate. She cofounded the Acentos Review.

Lenard D. Moore is associate professor of English at the University of Mount Olive. His literary works have appeared in more than 400 publications, including Callaloo, North American Review, and Prairie Schooner. He is author of A Temple Looming, among other books. He is founder of Carolina African American Writers' Collective.

Dr. Lila Teresa Church has been a member of the Carolina African American Writers' Collective since 1995. She serves as archivist and membership chairperson for the organization.

Lauri Ramey is founding director of the Center for Contemporary Poetry and Poetics, professor of English and creative writing, and faculty adviser of Statement: A Journal of Literature and Art at California State University, Los Angeles.

Cedric Tillman graduated from American University’s creative writing MFA program in 2004. He is a Cave Canem graduate fellow and author of the collection Lilies in the Valley.