The Asian American Writers’ Workshop is dedicated to publishing and amplifying Asian American literary culture. For over 30 years, AAWW has been dedicated to publishing and amplifying Asian American literary culture. Operating from a radically inclusive ethos, AAWW expands the definition not only of who is a writer, but also of who is Asian American.

Founded in 1991, Asian American Writers’ Workshop has worked to cultivate a radically inclusive community of Asian and Asian diasporic writers and readers to mobilize for a more just future. As an organization, AAWW is driven by two primary goals: to cultivate a community of Asian American writers and their readers and to project a radical inclusivity of who is a writer and who is Asian. They reach their goals through four main strategies:

1. reimagining cultural representation
2. championing social justice movements
3. shaping the literary field
4. working at local and global scales

Led by Executive Director Jafreen Uddin, AAWW stays mission-focused and specifically aligned to programs that best serve their target communities with a concrete set of strategies to guide their organizational goals. Through a robust and diverse lineup of programming, AAWW serves as a vital sanctuary space for writers and readers alike, including: AAWW’s reading series; writing workshops for emerging writers; The Margins, AAWW’s digital magazine; community arts programming in New York City senior centers and public high schools; and two fellowship programs for emerging writers of color based in New York City.

Jerome Foundation supports Asian American Writers’ Workshop’s Margins Fellowship. Serving early career New York City-based Asian American writers working on a book-length project in any genre, the Margins Fellowship is a 9-month fellowship program offering resources including:

• career development through publication opportunities, securing agents, and books deals
• improving writers’ craft via critical feedback in an editing process and access to writing workshops
• nurturing writers so they can discover their own voice and communities

Each year, four incredible artists are selected as Margins Fellows. Coordinated by Programs Manager Mohamad Saleh, the Margins Fellowship is distinct in combining generous financial support with publication opportunities, space and time to write, and dedicated time at an artists’ residency.