Professor of English
James Madison University

Lauren K. Alleyne is a professor of English at James Madison University and the assistant director of the Furious Flower Poetry Center. She is the author of two collections of poetry, Difficult Fruit (2014) and Honeyfish (2019), as well as co-editor of Furious Flower: Seeding the Future of African American Poetry (2020). Her work has appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Ms. Muse, Tin House and The Caribbean Writer, among others. Her most recent honors include a 2020 NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Poetry, the longlist for the 2020 Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, and the shortlist for Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Alleyne received a B.A. in English from St. Francis College, an M.A. in English and creative writing from Iowa State and an M.F.A. and graduate certificate from Cornell.

Alleyne Nomination Packet