Cyrée Jarelle Johnson facts for kids

Cyrée Jarelle Johnson (born 1990) is an American poet, editor, and librarian. He is known for his powerful poetry and his work to make literature more accessible. He helped start a special magazine called Deaf Poets Society. Currently, he works as a librarian at Pratt Institute. His first book of poems, Slingshot, won an important award called the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry.

Early Life and Education

Cyrée Jarelle Johnson grew up in Piscataway, New Jersey. He was diagnosed with autism when he was about four years old. Later, in college, he was diagnosed with lupus, a long-term health condition.

He studied at Hampshire College for his first degree. Then, he earned a master's degree in creative writing from Columbia University in 2019. Johnson has shared that his autism helps him see things very clearly. He says he loves what he loves with great passion and dislikes what he dislikes with similar intensity.

Career Highlights

Johnson is a co-founder and poetry editor for Deaf Poets Society. This literary magazine started in 2016. Its main goal is to feature works by writers with disabilities and those who are d/Deaf. The magazine makes sure its content is easy for everyone to access. It offers works in different ways, like text, audio, and pictures.

He is also an assistant professor and a librarian at Pratt Institute. His role focuses on making sure everyone feels welcome and included. Before this, he was a leader for Black Lives Matter in Philadelphia.

Johnson's writing often explores his experiences, including living with a disability. He published his first poetry book, Slingshot, in 2019. It was released by Nightboat Books. Critics have praised his work for being challenging and honest. It talks about unique friendships and experiences.

Personal Life

Cyrée Jarelle Johnson is married to Azure D Osborne-Lee. They live together in Brooklyn, New York.

Awards and Recognition

Johnson has received several important awards for his poetry.

• 2020 – He won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry for his book Slingshot.
• 2020 – He also received the Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation.

Published Works

• 2019. Slingshot. This was his first book of poems. It was published as a paperback on September 17, 2019, by Nightboat Books. ISBN: 9781643620091