Northampton, MA — Meridians: feminism, race, transnationalism announces the winner of the 2025 Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award for Prose.
The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award celebrates an author whose work embodies the lyrically powerful and historically engaged nature of Dr. Alexander's writing. The award aims to highlight different forms of knowledge production that emerge from the artistic, political and cultural advocacy for transformative change undertaken by women of color nationally, transnationally, and globally. Our goal is to make knowledge production by and about women of color central to contemporary definitions of feminisms in the explorations of women's economic conditions, cultures, sexualities, as well as the forms and meanings of resistance and activist strategies. Our award winners' writings exemplify the spirit and mission of Meridians with their winning pieces.
The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award winners are chosen each year by the Meridians: feminism, race, transnationalism Creative Writing Advisory Board (CWAB). Together with Meridians Editor Ginetta E.B. Candelario, CWAB members are Maryam Ala Amjadi, Leslie Marie Aguilar, Abigail Chabitnoy, Floyd Cheung, Dawn Fulton, Anna Maria Hong, Tsitsi Jaji, Yalie Saweda Kamara, Nancy Kang, Adrienne Perry, and Traci-Ann Wint.
The winner of this year’s Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award for Prose is Danielle Bradley for her piece “Preserves.” Danielle received her MFA from the MFA for Poets and Writers Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she was an MFA, Delaney, and REAL Fellow. She is the winner of the 2022 Deborah Slosberg Memorial Award in Fiction (selected by Robin McLean), the 2022 Harvey Swados Prize in Fiction (selected by Alysia Sawchyn), and was longlisted for the 2024 DISQUIET Prize. Her work appears in The Penn Review and the South Florida Poetry Journal. She received her JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
About “Preserves,” the CWAB praised its evocative detail, which “creates the scene while reflecting the character and speaking for what remains unspoken.” They also noted that they “especially appreciated the rhythm and cadence of its prose—a poignant story beautifully told.” “Preserves” will be published in Meridians’ special 25th Anniversary issue, forthcoming in October 2025.