San Diego Poetry Annual

William Harry Harding‘s novels include Three Women and the River or The Englishman Who Forgot His Own Name (Lymer & Hart: 2018), Rainbow, Young Hart, Mill Song and a children’s book, Alvin’s Famous No-Horse – all from Henry Holt. He chairs an arts nonprofit, founded Garden Oak Press and is the founding publisher of the San Diego Poetry Annual.

Anthony Blacksher, known as Ant Black in performance poetry circles, took the reins as publisher with the 2020-21 edition. He earned a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University and is a professor at San Bernardino Valley College. His performance poetry has been posted on YouTube and has appeared in the San Diego Poetry Annual. He serves on the board of directors and as Vice President of the San Diego Entertainment + Arts Guild (SDEAG), a local 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit that sponsors the annual. He also serves as a workshop facilitator for the KSDPA.

Michael Klam also serves as Associate Publisher of the SDPA. He organizes the Poetry & Arts Series, ongoing since 2001, and hosted events for the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park. He is also the host of the San Diego Central Library’s Conversations with Poets. His newest collection is Anything for a Dull Moment (Garden Oak Press: 2020). Previous books include The Cheapest Flight to Paradise (Puna Press: 2017) and Emma and the Buddha Frog (Puna Press: 2007).  

Seretta Martin holds an MFA from SDSU.  A finalist for the Philip Levine award, she helps direct Border Voices, co-edits Synesthesia Literary Journal and teaches at San Diego Writers, Ink and in area schools. She also serves the annual as a Regional Editor and is a workshop facilitator for the Kids! SDPA.

Jeff Walt has been awarded several writing residencies, and his poems have appeared in a number of journals, including Los Angeles Review, Alligator Juniper, Cimarron Review, The Sun, Connecticut Review, Inkwell, The Ledge and Slipstream. His book, Leave Smoke (Gival Press, 2019), was awarded the 2020 Housatonic Book Award by the Western Connecticut State University MFA Program. Jeff is also the coordinator for the Steve Kowit Poetry Prize, and the founder and director of the Desert Rat Residency for Writers in Palm Desert, Calif. www.jeffwalt.com

Ameerah Holliday is a dancer and self-proclaimed poetess from San Diego, Calif. She received her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from San Diego State University and currently serves as social media manager for Ebb & Flow Publications and junior agent for Serendipity Literary Agency. In addition to serving as the editorial director for the San Diego Poetry Annual, she is also the editor for the Kids! San Diego Poetry Annual.

Alana Contreras Rodríguez is a creative powerhouse from Chula Vista, Calif. A first-generation graduate from San Diego State University, she holds a B.A. in English. Her work includes an inspiring stint with Poetry International (SDSU) marketing department and has been featured in the literary magazine Unfortunately, the SDPA, Boats Against the Current poetry magazine and elsewhere. Alana is passionate about encouraging young poets in both the Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities to pursue publication and share their work with the world.