The Magnolia Literacy Project's 2026 Annual Poetry Month Celebration is a literary salon where we'll honor three young poets who focus on the experiences of Black women and girls in the South, exploring identity, ancestry, and place. Our theme is "Rooted and Rising: Southern Black Girlhood and Womanhood". This initiative has an intergenerational focus, and each young poet will be interviewed by a trailblazer in the field of English, Literature, and Creative Writing. Maddisyn Wells, a junior at Murrah High School, will be interviewed by Rhonda Murphy-Johnson. Erica Barnes, a sophomore at the University of Southern Mississippi, will be interviewed by Dr. Danielle Littlefield. Wisdom Ware, a 2025 graduate of Tougaloo College, will be interviewed by Dr. Kelly Norman Ellis. LaWanda Dickens, Founder and Executive Director of the Magnolia Literacy Project, will facilitate the event.