1 month ago
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Jamaican poet and writer Millicent A. A. Graham is currently attending the 2025 edition of the The Residency AKAZ in Brittany, France. The event, which runs from May 14 to June 15, is organised by La Fabrique Insomniaque, a cultural collective supported by local and regional French government bodies dedicated to fostering global artistic exchange.
This year’s residency explores the theme ‘The Body Prevented”’, delving into the physical, political, and psychological barriers imposed on bodies – especially those shaped by colonialism, migration, and resistance. Over the course of one month, participating writers will engage in public readings and dialogue rooted in Caribbean thought and expression. Graham will also attend the Sanblé Festival.
“I’m honoured to be part of AKAZ and to read at this year’s Sanblé,” said Graham. “The Body Prevented is a powerful theme, offering a space to voice the histories and experiences of Caribbean women in deeply personal ways. I look forward to conversations on this theme with Courtney Conrad who will also be in residence.”
Sanblé is part of La Fabrique Insomniaque’s mission to elevate Caribbean voices and build lasting transnational creative networks. Curated by acclaimed Guadeloupean writer and cultural activist Gerty Dambury, the residency offers a rare and resonant space for Caribbean creators to reflect, write, and connect across geographies and has featured leading writers such as Olive Senior, Jason Allen-Paisant, Anaïs Verspan and Karla Suarez.
Graham, who is scheduled to read at the University of Paris on May 21, has participated in programmes such as The International Writing Program, University of Iowa in 2009, and the Shanghai Writing Residency in 2019.
In Jamaica, she co-founded The Drawing Room Project with writer and environmental scientist Joni Jackson, which has convened workshops and retreats aimed at supporting local literary talent in their global pursuits.
English (US) ·