We published our 2019 Annual Report! Thanks to all–you put the light in Lit Youngstown. There were so many to thank, our hearts are full. We hope we haven’t forgotten anyone, but if we did, please let us know.
Category Archives: Fall Fundraiser
Thank You, Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell and Youngstown Foundation!
Join us in thanking Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell for a $500 contribution toward the upcoming Winter Writing Camp, noting “It is a pleasure to support this initiative.” This is HHM’s third year in Winter Writing Camp funding, and we are so appreciative.
Lit Youngstown in Your Kitchen
Many, so many! thanks to Ashley Dillon for her editing and graphic design on our new, gorgeous, gorgeous! 5-year commemorative calendar. These are the images for each month, and the calendar includes Lit Yo event dates.
The calendar is a thank you gift for Fall Fundraiser donors of $60 or more or $5.00 per month. Thank you! Please know your support is absolutely essential.
Lit Youngstown Turns 5
Five years! It’s gone by in a flash. Let’s take a moment to celebrate all we’ve done together. And then let’s have a party!

Jeffrey Murphy, Laura Grace Weldon, Jeanne Bryner & David Lee Garrison at the dedication of the Words Made Visible poetry-in-sidewalk squares
Since January of 2015 we have hosted nearly 400 writers, celebrating local talent and visiting writers who have won prestigious awards. Local writers from age 6 to their 80s have shared poems and stories at open mics. (Photos: Mary Biddinger & Mary Quade, Lena Carson, Yahia Tahat, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Jimmy Sutman, Marjorie Maddox) Continue reading
Be a Supporting Member
Kirkus prize-winning author Lesley Nneka Arimah provided the keynote at our Fall Literary Festival. (Photo credit Courtney Kensinger)
Dear Friends, Continue reading
Looking Forward, Looking Back
Dear Friend of Lit Youngstown,
As we close out our third year, let’s take stock of all the fun we had in 2017.
Looking Back
We opened the year as presenters at the prestigious AWP Writing Conference in Washington D.C. in February. Our panel discussed literary arts outreach into the community, and our co-panelists were other Great Lakes literary arts centers including the Wick Poetry Center in Kent and Literary Cleveland. We talked about our Phenomenal Women:Twelve Youngstown Stories oral history project, and about what a pleasure it was to meet and hear the stories of these women in our community.
Thank You!
We are feeling the love, here! Thank you to our fall fundraiser contributors.
“Good luck with the fundraiser!” Anonymous
Nancy Bukaty
Lynn Cardwell
The College Club of Buffalo
“Thanks for all you do! Super excited for the Phenomenal Women book!” Allison Davis
James DeMonte
Kathleen Dragoman Continue reading
Dear Friends,
One chilly noon in January of 2015, a small group met at Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts to discuss the idea of starting a literary arts organization. From that hopeful beginning, we have grown into a thriving non-profit organization with ongoing programming and numerous activities and collaborations.The hundreds of people working with us—visiting writers, teaching artists, workshop participants, board members, YSU interns, audience members, funders and volunteers—have created a Lit Youngstown community, and are proof to us that a literary arts organization has a place in Youngstown.
Our First Year in Review
Happy Birthday to Lit Youngstown! We had our initial formation meeting just about a year ago. We asked one of our YSU interns, Sam Amazing, to poke around on our Facebook page and blog to discover some highlights of our year. This is Sam’s reflection.
Hi, everyone! It’s hard to believe, but Lit Youngstown is a year old. Since our formation in 2015 we have sponsored or participated in many programs and events in the community. Here’s a look back at them.
Indiegogo Thank-You Gifts in the Making!
We have our work cut out for us, sending out a whole bunch of thank-you gifts!
The “Bundle of Books” came in, very fine writing by some of our excellent local writers. We are extremely grateful to Christopher Barzak, Steven Reese, Rebecca Barnhouse & the family of E. Hallaman for their donations.