Sharan Strange

Sharan Strange is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at Spelman College, renowned for her contributions to African American literature and creative writing. She is a founding member of the Dark Room Collective, co-curator of its Dark Room Reading Series, and has served as a contributing editor for Callaloo, a journal of African diaspora arts and letters.

Her work bridges poetry, social justice, and visual art, with writings featured in exhibitions at the Whitney Museum and the New Museum of Contemporary Art. She has held visiting roles at institutions like Georgia Institute of Technology and Smith College, and her collaborations include musical adaptations of her poetry performed by ensembles such as the American Modern Ensemble and The Dream Unfinished Orchestra.

• M.F.A., Sarah Lawrence College
• B.A., Harvard College

Sharan Strange’s research and creative practice spans African American literature, poetry, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Her poetry collection Ash (Beacon Press, 2001) won the Barnard Women Poets Prize, and her works have been anthologized internationally. Recent projects include contributions to #SingHerName concerts, which honor Black women’s lives through music and poetry.

Her accolades include nominations for the Pushcart Prize and residencies at prestigious institutions like the MacDowell Colony. She also serves on the community board of Poetry Atlanta and co-founded the Decatur Book Festival.