C U R R I C U L U M V I T A E
Kailah Figueroa-Johnson
E d u c a t i o n
2025 Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing: Poetry
Rutgers University-Newark Newark, New Jersey
2023 Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, minors in English: Publishing & Editing
Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
2022 American College of the Mediterranean, Aix-en-Provence, France
2021 Fulbright Fellowship
University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
F e l l o w s h i p s
& H o n o r s
Poetry Participant Scholarship, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference (Aug 2025)
Poetry Scholar, Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (June 2025)
First Year Fellow, Cave Canem Foundation & Retreat (June 2025)
Best New Poets Nomination, The Cincinnati Review (2025)
Poetry Fellowship Finalist, Just Buffalo Literary Center (April 2025)
Civil Society Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center (July–Aug 2024)
Pushcart Prize Nomination, Torch Literary Arts (2023)
Outstanding Senior Award for Creative Writing, Susquehanna University (May 2023)
Study Abroad Award, American College of the Mediterranean (May 2022)
Fulbright Summer Institute Fellowship: Arts, Activism, and Social Justice (June–July 2021)
Janet Weis Creative Writing Scholarship, Susquehanna University (Aug 2019–May 2023)
M a n u s c r i p t
in S u b m i s s i o n
Before The Bull Dreams Me (Poetry, Full-length)
Selected as a Book Prize Finalist, Center for African American Poetry and Poetics (June 2025)
P e d a g o g i c a l
E x p e r i e n c e
Instructor, Introduction to Creative Writing, Rutgers University-Newark (Fall 2023)
Instructor, Introduction to Creative Writing, Rutgers University-Newark (Spring 2024)
Instructor, Introduction to Creative Writing, Rutgers University-Newark (Fall 2024)
Instructor, Introduction to Creative Writing, Rutgers University-Newark (Spring 2025)
Teaching Assistant, Poetry Workshop, Susquehanna University (July 2022)
Teaching Assistant, Fiction Workshop, Susquehanna University (July 2021)
W o r k s h o p
E x p e r i e n c e
MFA Thesis Advisor, John Keene, Rutgers University-Newark (June-May 2025)
Poetry Workshop, Cameron Awkward-Rich, Fine Arts Work Center (June 2025)
Poetry Workshop, Harryette Mullen, Cave Canem (June 2025)
Poetry Workshop, Remica Bingham-Risher, Cave Canem (June 2025)
Poetry Workshop, A. Van Jordan, Cave Canem (June 2025)
Poetry Workshop, Matthew Shenoda, Cave Canem (June 2025)
Poetry Workshop, Renia White, Rutgers University-Newark (Spring 2025)
Poetry Workshop, Brenda Shaughnessy, Rutgers University-Newark (Fall 2023, Fall 2024)
Poetry Workshop, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Rutgers University-Newark (Spring 2024)
Poetry Workshop, Karla Kelsey, Susquehanna University (Fall 2019, Fall 2021)
Fiction Workshop, Matthew Neill Null, Susquehanna University (Fall 2022)
Fiction Workshop, Catherine Zobal-Dent, Susquehanna University (Spring 2021)
Fiction Workshop, Naomi Jackson, Rutgers University-Newark (Fall 2023)
Fiction Workshop, Eliza Minot, Rutgers University-Newark (Spring 2025)
Choreopoem Workshop, Monica Prince, Susquehanna University (Spring 2023)
E d i t o r i a l
E x p e r i e n c e
Poetry Reader, The Adroit Journal (May 2025-Present)
Senior Editor, Iskanchi Press & Magazine (March–July 2023)
Poetry Juror, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (Dec 2021-Jan 2022)
Copyright & Permissions Editor, Common Reading Program at Susquehanna University (Aug 2021–Dec 2022)
Intro and Bios Editor, Common Reading Program at Susquehanna University (Aug 2020–June 2021)
Founding Editor-in-Chief, Mid-heaven Magazine (July 2019-July 2023)
Communications Intern, Goucher College (June-Aug 2019)
A r t s
A d m i n i s t r a t i o n
E x p e r i e n c e
First-Year Reading Series Co-organizer and Co-host, Rutgers University-Newark (Sept 2024-May 2025)
Freelance Project Assistant, Leigh NY (Jan 2021–Jan 2022)
Gallery Assistant, Lore Degenstein Gallery (Sept 2019-May 2023)
National Director of Membership, Forum for Undergraduate Student Editors (Oct 2019–Jan 2023)
P u b l i c a t i o n s
“The Bull Teaches Me Dawn,” PLOUGHSHARES (forthcoming)
4 poems — “The Gate”; “Paint Brush, or A Theory of Black Hair I”; “Paint Brush, or A Theory of Black Hair II”; “Paint Brush, or A Theory of Black Hair III,” LAMPBLACK (forthcoming)
“Clarity of Purpose,” WILDNESS JOURNAL (Issue 37)
“america, my ex-husband, won’t stop calling me,” BLACK WARRIOR REVIEW (Print Issue 51.1)
“When I Was a Boxer,” THE CINCINNATI REVIEW (miCRo series)
2 poems — "Two Inlets in Winter"; "Our Names Are Not On the Mortgage but We Are Playing Homeowners For a Bit," PIGEON PAGES
“Alternate Holocene Where I Am The Maker (& you are still alive),” POETRY NORTHWEST (Winter/Spring 2024)
“After My Bipolar Diagnosis I Make Several Phone Calls & Everyone Says That Makes Sense,“ TORCH LITERARY ARTS (Friday Feature)
“In Defense of Staring at the Sun,” PERHAPPENED (Issue 3: Heatwave)
“somewhere on the edge of summer,” RIVERCRAFT MAGAZINE (2019 issue)
“The Mirror Explains Things To Me,” ANTI-HEROIN CHIC (Farewell Issue, 2019)
“june 4th, new york city,” HOMOLOGY LIT (Issue 3)
“My Lifetime of Empties,” LOLWE MAGAZINE
“good things grow here,” PASSENGERS JOURNAL (Vol.3 Issue 4)
“waiting room,” PROSE ONLINE
“Paul Henderson Exhibit Comes To The Library,” GOUCHER MAGAZINE
“we were first strangers“ IAU-AMC Closing Ceremony in Aix-en-Provence, France
“A Reminder” for Annual Holiday Greeting Card, Susquehanna University