"But when we are silent we are still afraid So it is better to speak" - Audre Lorde :)

Shuchi Agrawal is an emerging poet and translator from India, who works in tech in New York City. She is currently a Masters student in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge, and has previously studied Maths and Literary Arts with honors at Brown University. Her poems have won the Edwin Honig Memorial Prize, and the Kim Ann Arstark Prize at Brown. Shuchi is currently finishing an original translation of a volume of Bella Akhmadulina's poems from Russian into English, and has also previously worked as a translator (from English to Hindi) in 2015. She has also edited and contributed to The College Hill Independent, ReadSquare magazine, and has a few crew credits for independent films.

This has been a challenging year for independent publishing and also generally for all of us. I wouldn’t ask you to support if this wasn’t a cause that was near and dear to me. What is special to me about Tupelo is that it is one of few presses that have been and continue to be a great home for emerging writers, who offer bold new voices and who have gone on to inspire so many of us. Tupelo has been an early supporter and publisher of so many poets that we have gone on to love. These include Brandon Som, this year’s Pulitzer Poet who published his first collection Babel’s Moon with Tupelo, Ilya Kaminsky whose Dancing in Odessa is unlike anything I’ve seen, and Katie Farris, whose hybrid book boygirls binds humor, poetry, and prose beautifully. For that matter, another great way to support this press is to check out one of their books, such as the ones mentioned.

Your support gives me vital inspiration as I write for thirty days this month. 30 days of first drafts of poems will be available here: https://www.tupelopress.org/the-july-2024-30-30-pr.... This is a vulnerable process involving nascent work, and it will take effort to maintain momentum through the end. Even if you’re not in a position to support financially, if any poem ends up speaking to you, it would make my day if you would spread the word!

To my donors, I will be offering the following gifts of gratitude:

Donors of $10+ can receive a handmade linoleum print by mail.

Donors of $25+ can receive an original poem, or a poem of their liking printed on a letterpress (the latter is subject to press availability, and interest).

Tupelo Press provides the canvas; I bring my words, accompanied by a cohort of fine poets, writing thirty brand new poems in thirty days. 30/30 poems have been taken by over 200 journals and featured in over 40 published chapbooks, all so Tupelo Press can keep publishing exquisite and diverse voices that might never be heard otherwise.

Every dollar helps the press place more poems in gorgeous books. Help me to help this distinguished press. Give today!

Kindly,

Shuchi

(IG: @shuchi__)