Registration for July ISL is
✨OPEN!✨

Hello friend,
​
​July ISL registration is open (and spots are filling up fast!) We're excited introduce some newness this session, including TWO craft-intensive workshops with our fearless leader, Shira Erlichman, and one-on-one offerings with a returning visiting artist...

That's right! This session, you can add a 1-1 with the one and only Angel Nafis to your ISL package* 🥳 Angel is a writer and the author of BlackGirl Mansion (2012). She is one of our students' FAVORITE people to learn from - there's a reason we keep inviting her back & we can't wait to revel in poetry and poetics with her this July (*1-1's with Shira also still available).

We're also thrilled to welcome Leigh Lucas to our visiting artist line up this July. Author of Splashed Things (2026) and Landsickness (2024), Leigh is a self described "poet, mom, art monster." I mean... who doesn't want to learn more about being an 'art monster' from such a creative, insightful human as Leigh?

There's been a trend in our community recently... maybe it's the better weather in the northern hemisphere, maybe it's the web of ISLiens growing wider and wider (yet closer, and closer?)... either way, we've been loving seeing ISL go IRL! Below, a couple snapshots of some joyous in-person encounters:

Top left: Joy Young, Ola Faleti, Nina Sudhakar, Darshita Jain, Shivani Gupta, and Shivani Kumar at a Mother's Day Poetry event

Top right: Clare Maracle and Shivani Gupta

Bottom left: Atena O. Danner, Sher Ratnabalasuriar, Jen Haines, and Shira Erlichman at an event celebrating the teaching career of longtime creative writing teacher and literary arts organizer Jeff Kass, in Ann Arbor.

Bottom right: Moonyeka receiving an oracle card reading by ISLien abeo

Our community continues to be and create magic, both online and offline. It truly warms our hearts to see the ripples of ISL collide in-person this way! It is such a special thing. Creative community makes us stronger, both creatively and beyond. It is not something we ever take for granted.

And, there's always room for more. If you're someone looking for creative community that pulls you in with arms and hearts wide open, join us this July. We'll write together, read together, laugh together, cry together, learn together... it'll be a gorgeous time.

✨Register for July ISL here✨

And, stay tuned for more updates & exciting ISL news this month!