Shara McCallum
From Jamaica and born to a Jamaican father and Venezuelan mother, Shara McCallum is the author of seven books of poetry, published in the US and UK, including Behold (Alice James Books, September 2026), No Ruined Stone (Alice James Books, 2021), and Madwoman (Alice James Books, 2017). Recognition for her work includes a Guggenheim Fellowship, Musgrave Medal, National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship, Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. McCallum teaches at Penn State University and, from 2021-22, served as the Penn State Laureate. (Updated 1/2026)