Events
present-2018
July 2022, “Chicago’s Poetic History” at the Chicago History Museum: Author, critic and scholar Richard Guzman leads a panel discussion that ties history and verse, with several contributors to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s new poetry anthology. Panelists include 2015 Fuller Award winner Haki Madhubuti, along with poets Vida Cross, Yolanda Nieves, and Virginia Bell.
September 14, 2021, Poetry in the Park, Woodland Pattern Bookstore.
2021, Pushcart Nominee by Art Night Books, for “2 Doors” (poem) in Through This Door: Wisconsin in Poems
Jan. 30, 2021, Woodland Pattern 27th Annual Poetry Marathon and Benefit, “Wisconsin Poets Laureate Reading,”
2020, Interview, Part II, “Conversation between Mary Cantrell, Vida Cross, Rachel Hall and Anna Leahy: The Path remains a thicket” Tinderbox Poetry Journal, Volume 6, Issue 5
2020, Interview Part I, “Conversation between Mary Cantrell, Vida Cross, Rachel Hall and Anna Leahy: The Path remains a thicket” Tinderbox Poetry Journal, Volume 6, Issue 4
Spring 2020, “2 Doors” (poem), Through This Door: Wisconsin in Poems, ArtNightBooks.com
November 11, 2019, C. D. Wright Women’s Writers Conference, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
June 8, 2019, Workshop and Book Signing, “Music as Literary Influence,” Write On, Door County, Door County, Wisconsin
October 2019 to present, on the Board of Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission
June 2019 to present, on the Board of Wisconsin Center for the Book
May 20, 2019, Book Signing, Milwaukee Noir, Racine Public Library, Racine, Wisconsin
May 13, 2019, Book Signing, Milwaukee Noir, Milwaukee Public Library, Tippecanoe Branch, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spring 2019, “All Dressed in Red” (short story), Milwaukee Noir, Akashic Books
November 9, 2018, C. D. Wright Women’s Writers Conference, “Finding Our Ways: Role Models, Mentors, Friends,” Conway. Arkansas, work presented by Vida Cross, Anna Leahy, Rachel Hall and Mary Cantrell
October 20, 2018, Book Signing of Bronzeville at Night: 1949, Galesburg, IL
March 24, 2018, BONK, Racine, IL work presented by Vida Cross, Timothy Yu and The Millers
April 12, 2018, Tangelo, Chicago, IL, work presented by Vida Cross, Max Schliecher, Daniel Suarez, and Sara Wainscott
2018, Pushcart Nominee for “Extortion Social,” Nominated by Awst Press
2017-2014
November 19, 2017, poetry reading, Waterline Writers, Batavia, IL, work presented by Vida Cross, Lynne Handy, Wayne Johnson, Kurt Luchs, and Chris Reid
November 19, 2017, Interview with Waterline Writers
November 18. 2017, Boswell Books, Milwaukee, WI, work presented by Vida Cross
November 2017, Interview with WUWM Radio
October 28, 2017, Knox College Book Signing, Galesburg, IL
October 17, 2017, Interview with Fiona McView
September 29, 2017, Knox College, Caxton Club, Poetry Reading, Galesburg, IL, work presented by Vida Cross, Laura Adamczyk, and Adam Soto
September 17, 2017, “Community in Place,” Volume Book Cafe, Chicago, IL, work presented by Vida Cross and Audrey Petty
September 14, 2017, Poetry Foundation, Induction of Fenton Johnson into Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, event held at Poetry Center in Chicago, presentations by Vida Cross and Haki Madubutti
June 9, 2017, Poetry Reading, Book Launch, 57th Street Books and the Seminary Co-op Bookstore, Moderated by Calvin Forbes
April 29, 2017, Poetry Reading, Poetry Fest, Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library: work presented by Vida Cross
April 2017, Book Publication, Bronzeville at Night: 1949, Awst Press Awards
2017, Honoree of Chicago Library Foundation, Carl Sandburg Literary Award
March 15, 2016, The Open Door Reading, Poetry Foundation, Chicago, IL: readers were Sally Alatalo, Calvin Forbes, Caroline McGraw and Vida Cross
April 2016. Interview with Awst Press
January 17, 2016, poetry reading, Waterline Writers, Batavia, IL: readers were Vida Cross, Donald J. Hunt, Michelle Donfrio, Harold G. Walker, and Jenny Scott
January 2016, Interview with Waterline Writers
Fall 2014, “The Night” (poem), and “The Great Migration” (poem), Creativity and Constraint Anthology, Wising Up Press
February 2014, “Photographs” (poem), About Place Journal, A Civil Rights Retrospective: 1963-2013 by the Black Earth Institute, Volume II Issue IV
2013-2002
Spring 2013, “Oh Lord, My Man is Gone” and “Love Me Tomorrow,” (poems), Tabula Poetica by Chapman -University
Spring 2013, “Asunda’s Story,” (poem), Transitions by WEB Institute of African American Research, Harvard University
2012, “The Quilt Maker” (poem), Cave Canem Anthology XII: Poems 2008-209
November 2011, poetry reading for Cave Canem 2010 Book Award, New York University: readers were Elizabeth Alexander, Iian Pollack, and Vida Cross
2010 Honorable Mention for book manuscript Bronzeville at Night: 1945, Judge: Elizabeth Alexander, Cave Canem First Book Poetry Award, Fall 2010
Fall 2010, “Bodacious” and “Out in the Ocean,” (two poems), The Literary Review by Fairleigh Dickinson University
Spring 2010, “Spell for a Dramatic Person,” (poem), Reed Magazine by Reed College
Spring 2010, “A Story Told,” (poem), Reverie Journal by Aquarius Press
Spring 2009, Produced, Moderated and Presented “Art as Synergy,” Iowa State University, poetry reading and art presentations by Vida Cross, Mary Swander, Ingrid Lilligren, Paula Curran, and Jim Coppoc,
Spring 2009, Produced and Moderated “Metaphysics of the Blues,” Iowa State University, poetry reading by Calvin Forbes
2009 to 2013, Cave Canem Fellow, Poetry Fellowship
2009, “A First Year Fellow Reflects on Friendship,” (memoir), Cave Canem Retreat Reflection
2008-2009, Iowa State University, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) grant. Produced two day conference: “Metaphysics of the Blues” and “Art as Synergy”
Summer 2008, Illinois Arts Council Special Assistance Grant recipient, Bronzeville at Night:1949
Summer 2007, “Jack McAdoo,” (poem), Make Magazine
Summer 2007, Scholarship Recipient, Napa Valley Writer's Conference
November 2004, “We knew the Houses in the Background,” (poem), WarpLand by Chicago State University
Spring 2004, Moderated “When Art is Your Mascot,” Association of Writers and Writing Programs, poetry reading by Vida Cross, Della Watson, John Wright
February 2004, “A Sister in Cinema: An Interview of Yvonne Welbon,” (non-fiction) The Journal of Film and Video by The Journal of Film and Video
Spring 2002, “Make Me,” (poem), Mochila Review by Missouri Western State University