Jorrell Watkins

Poet, Spoken Word Artist

Author's Bio

Jorrell Watkins is from Richmond, VA. He received fellowships from the Smithsonian Institution, Fulbright Japan and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. His chapbook, If Only the Sharks Would Bite, won the inaugural Desert Pavilion Chapbook Series in Poetry. His debut full-length collection, PlayHouse: poems was recently published by Northwestern University Press. Currently, he is a PhD student in poetry at the University of Southern California.

Education: 
University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop MFA

Publications & Prizes

Poetry

Chapbook:
If Only the Sharks Would Bite (Black Rock Press, 2020)
Journals:
Diode
,
Juke Joint Magazine
,
Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora

Spoken Word

Performances:
"Cherished Song" featured spoken word performance (2019)
,
BARS Open Mic Feature (2019)
,
Drop the Mic, Featured Poet (2018)
,
Performance at Tuesday Verses Open Mic (2018)
,
Spoken Word Performance as opening for "Word Becomes Flesh" (2014)
Prizes won: 

Desert Pavilion Chapbook Series in Poetry Inaugural winner 

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
African American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Raised in: 
Richmond, VA
Virginia
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Feb 24, 2025