This year a long overdue (IMNSHO) Creative Bravo goes to JOHN CRAWFORD - publisher, west end press - For thirty years, John Crawford has published the voices of multicultural, feminist, and new writers through his independent Albuquerque publishing house, West End Press. From 1975 to today, Crawford's unique vision for West End Press has resulted in hundreds of award‐winning books of poetry, fiction, and memoir, and critical acclaim in Publisher's Weekly, the New York Times, and other publications. West End was also the first publisher of poets who are now among the most recognized authors of our time. West End's New Series, which seeks to present the work of new poets in inexpensive, full‐length volumes, has also had great success in introducing new writers and poets. Beyond his innovative book publishing program, Crawford is founder of the Albuquerque Cultural Conference, bringing together writers, artists, and activists from around the country who care about community and social issues for a weekend of readings and performances and panels, on topics as diverse as trauma and performance, prison writing, digital media.
Footnote: This award particularly delights me: John and I were colleagues at UNM-Valencia, trading asides on which Circle of Dante's Inferno to place administrators and faculty turncoats but ultimately falling prey, along with others, to unwarranted administration paranoia over organizing a Valencia campus AAUP chapter. Currently, I am a founding member of and serve on the national board (as well as designated social media content manager) for the New Faculty Majority Coalition, a national adjunct faculty organization. Yes, we learned our lesson ~ just not the one intended.
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